Photo by: Toledo Athletics
Head Coach Tricia Cullop Announces Changes to Women’s Basketball Staff
7/13/2017 9:05:00 AM | Women's Basketball
TOLEDO, Ohio — Head Coach Tricia Cullop announced the promotion of Lauren Flaum to Director of Operations (DOBO) on Thursday. Cullop also stated that Brian DeBenedictis has joined her staff in a newly created role of Director of Player Development and Community Engagement, while continuing to serve as the program's athletic communications director.
"We're thrilled to announce the promotion of Lauren to DOBO and the addition of Brian to our staff," said Cullop, a three-time Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year. "It has been a pleasure working closely with both of them in the past, and I'm excited that they will be an integral part of our future in these new roles."
Flaum, who is entering her fifth season on the Rocket women's basketball staff, will coordinate or assist in various administrative areas, including budget management, camps, on-campus recruiting, apparel contact and academics. She will also oversee expenditures and purchasing card procedures, maintain all calendars and databases for the staff and team, coordinate the guest coaches program, assist with compliance activities and fundraising and serve as the UT Women's Basketball Fan Club liaison.
In addition, Flaum will continue to coordinate tape exchange with the opposition, assist with breaking down game film for the coaches and create highlight films throughout the season.
Flaum previously worked four seasons as coordinator of women's basketball and video coordinator at UT. During her time at Toledo, the Midnight Blue & Gold have amassed a 77-52 overall record and a 43-29 mark in the conference. UT also advanced to the postseason on two occasions, including its first trip to the NCAA Championships since 2001 a season ago.
"Lauren has her hand in almost every aspect of our program because I have so much trust in her abilities," Cullop said. "She's very versatile, intelligent, hard-working and professional."
Flaum came to UT after working as a mortgage broker at Quicken Loans from 2012-13. She was responsible for establishing an ongoing financial services relationship with clients through the delivery of world-class service, as well consulting with clients about their current and future needs to help them achieve their financial goals. Â
A 2009 graduate of MAC member Eastern Michigan, Flaum remained at her alma mater as a graduate assistant video coordinator for both the women's and men's basketball programs from 2009-12. She was in charge of film exchange, assisted with video editing, assisted the coaches with scouting reports, planned travel arrangements including hotels, meals, and transportation; assisted the recruiting coordinator with on-campus visits for potential student-athletes; facilitated study tables for student-athletes; helped with academic needs and assisted in the planning and executing of both summer day camps and team camps.
As a student at Eastern Michigan, Flaum served as a manager for the men's basketball team for four years. She traveled with the team and assisted in both pre- and post-game operations, including film sessions, practices and meals. She also filmed and edited practices and updated statistics for the staff. For her efforts, Flaum was named the Men's Basketball Manager of the Year for the 2008-09 season.Â
A native of Sylvania, Ohio, Flaum earned her bachelor's degree in communication from Eastern Michigan in 2009 and her master's degree in health and human services in sport management from EMU in 2011.
DeBenedictis, who is entering his 18th year at UT, will assist or coordinate numerous aspects of the women's basketball program, including serving as alumni event and community service coordinator, creating recruiting and monthly mailouts, overseeing team managers, the mentor program and social media postings, coordinating team meals on campus and pass lists for all games, and assisting with academics, banquets, camps, marketing and promotions, on-campus recruiting and fundraising. He will also continue to coordinate all aspects of team travel, which he has done for the past 15 years.Â
In addition to his new responsibilities, DeBenedictis will remain the athletic communications director for the women's basketball program. He will oversee communications for the Rockets, and is responsible for all media relations, publications, website management and new media for the team.
"Brian's meticulous work habits, professionalism and outstanding people skills are a welcomed addition to our staff," Cullop said. "I'm thrilled he has decided to join us in a newly created position."
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An active member of CoSIDA, DeBenedictis assumed the position of assistant director for media relations at UT in 2000, and was promoted to associate director of communications in 2013.Â
As the associate director, DeBenedictis was the primary communications contact for the women's basketball and men's golf programs, while also serving as the secondary contact for football. He also oversaw a graduate assistant that works with women's soccer, baseball, women's track & field and men's and women's cross country teams.
In his role, he designed the layout and produced editorial material for the 250-page women's basketball media guide, as well as the 100-page women's basketball and 118-page football game programs. DeBenedictis also had a significant role in the athletic department's social media planning and operation, increasing the amount of activity on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat and assisted in nationally publicized stories featured in publications such as USA Today, Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, New York Daily News and NCAA Championship Program. He also served as one of the executive producers for a monthly television show "Rocket Roundup," which provides exclusive behind the scenes access to University of Toledo Athletics and was the primary media coordinator and championship manager for first and second round of the 2014 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
Prior to working at UT, DeBenedictis completed a two-year internship in the sports information office at Purdue, where he covered women's soccer, men's tennis, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's golf, women's track & field and wrestling. He was also the secondary contact for men's basketball.Â
DeBenedictis is a University of Toledo graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in communication with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing in 1998. He is continuing his studies at Toledo, pursuing a master's degree in recreation & leisure administration.
He is married to Katie (Abdulovic) DeBenedictis, who is UT's senior director of administrative operations for the Office of the President. They make their home in Sylvania with their two sons, Ethan (7 years old) and Grady (8 months), and a daughter Audrey (4 years old). Â
"Both Lauren and Brian are extremely familiar with all facets of our program," Cullop said. "I'm very excited to have both of them on our staff. We will have two quality people helping moving forward who will do everything in their power to help us continue to grow and improve."
"We're thrilled to announce the promotion of Lauren to DOBO and the addition of Brian to our staff," said Cullop, a three-time Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year. "It has been a pleasure working closely with both of them in the past, and I'm excited that they will be an integral part of our future in these new roles."
Flaum, who is entering her fifth season on the Rocket women's basketball staff, will coordinate or assist in various administrative areas, including budget management, camps, on-campus recruiting, apparel contact and academics. She will also oversee expenditures and purchasing card procedures, maintain all calendars and databases for the staff and team, coordinate the guest coaches program, assist with compliance activities and fundraising and serve as the UT Women's Basketball Fan Club liaison.
In addition, Flaum will continue to coordinate tape exchange with the opposition, assist with breaking down game film for the coaches and create highlight films throughout the season.
Flaum previously worked four seasons as coordinator of women's basketball and video coordinator at UT. During her time at Toledo, the Midnight Blue & Gold have amassed a 77-52 overall record and a 43-29 mark in the conference. UT also advanced to the postseason on two occasions, including its first trip to the NCAA Championships since 2001 a season ago.
"Lauren has her hand in almost every aspect of our program because I have so much trust in her abilities," Cullop said. "She's very versatile, intelligent, hard-working and professional."
Flaum came to UT after working as a mortgage broker at Quicken Loans from 2012-13. She was responsible for establishing an ongoing financial services relationship with clients through the delivery of world-class service, as well consulting with clients about their current and future needs to help them achieve their financial goals. Â
A 2009 graduate of MAC member Eastern Michigan, Flaum remained at her alma mater as a graduate assistant video coordinator for both the women's and men's basketball programs from 2009-12. She was in charge of film exchange, assisted with video editing, assisted the coaches with scouting reports, planned travel arrangements including hotels, meals, and transportation; assisted the recruiting coordinator with on-campus visits for potential student-athletes; facilitated study tables for student-athletes; helped with academic needs and assisted in the planning and executing of both summer day camps and team camps.
As a student at Eastern Michigan, Flaum served as a manager for the men's basketball team for four years. She traveled with the team and assisted in both pre- and post-game operations, including film sessions, practices and meals. She also filmed and edited practices and updated statistics for the staff. For her efforts, Flaum was named the Men's Basketball Manager of the Year for the 2008-09 season.Â
A native of Sylvania, Ohio, Flaum earned her bachelor's degree in communication from Eastern Michigan in 2009 and her master's degree in health and human services in sport management from EMU in 2011.
DeBenedictis, who is entering his 18th year at UT, will assist or coordinate numerous aspects of the women's basketball program, including serving as alumni event and community service coordinator, creating recruiting and monthly mailouts, overseeing team managers, the mentor program and social media postings, coordinating team meals on campus and pass lists for all games, and assisting with academics, banquets, camps, marketing and promotions, on-campus recruiting and fundraising. He will also continue to coordinate all aspects of team travel, which he has done for the past 15 years.Â
In addition to his new responsibilities, DeBenedictis will remain the athletic communications director for the women's basketball program. He will oversee communications for the Rockets, and is responsible for all media relations, publications, website management and new media for the team.
"Brian's meticulous work habits, professionalism and outstanding people skills are a welcomed addition to our staff," Cullop said. "I'm thrilled he has decided to join us in a newly created position."
Â
An active member of CoSIDA, DeBenedictis assumed the position of assistant director for media relations at UT in 2000, and was promoted to associate director of communications in 2013.Â
As the associate director, DeBenedictis was the primary communications contact for the women's basketball and men's golf programs, while also serving as the secondary contact for football. He also oversaw a graduate assistant that works with women's soccer, baseball, women's track & field and men's and women's cross country teams.
In his role, he designed the layout and produced editorial material for the 250-page women's basketball media guide, as well as the 100-page women's basketball and 118-page football game programs. DeBenedictis also had a significant role in the athletic department's social media planning and operation, increasing the amount of activity on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat and assisted in nationally publicized stories featured in publications such as USA Today, Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, New York Daily News and NCAA Championship Program. He also served as one of the executive producers for a monthly television show "Rocket Roundup," which provides exclusive behind the scenes access to University of Toledo Athletics and was the primary media coordinator and championship manager for first and second round of the 2014 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
Prior to working at UT, DeBenedictis completed a two-year internship in the sports information office at Purdue, where he covered women's soccer, men's tennis, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's golf, women's track & field and wrestling. He was also the secondary contact for men's basketball.Â
DeBenedictis is a University of Toledo graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in communication with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing in 1998. He is continuing his studies at Toledo, pursuing a master's degree in recreation & leisure administration.
He is married to Katie (Abdulovic) DeBenedictis, who is UT's senior director of administrative operations for the Office of the President. They make their home in Sylvania with their two sons, Ethan (7 years old) and Grady (8 months), and a daughter Audrey (4 years old). Â
"Both Lauren and Brian are extremely familiar with all facets of our program," Cullop said. "I'm very excited to have both of them on our staff. We will have two quality people helping moving forward who will do everything in their power to help us continue to grow and improve."
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