Former football coach joins Big Blue fund-raising team
Chuck Shelton, former head football coach at Utah State University, is returning to Logan in a new role. Shelton will join the advancement team at Utah State to help the Aggies raise money for the Romney Stadium renovation.
Shelton was head coach of the Aggie football team from 1986 through 1991. He will work under the vice president for University Advancement to raise money for the approximately $20 million expansion and renovation of the stadium.
“Chuck Shelton brings with him a dynamic list of contacts from around the nation and strong relationships in our community, as well as a proven track record of soliciting private funds from individuals and corporations,” said Randy Talbot, vice president for University Advancement. “He will be a great help to us as we launch this ambitious campaign.”
Shelton spent 19 years as a Division 1-A head football coach, and he was Coach of the Year four times. He also was head football coach at the University of Pacific, Drake University and for the Arena Football League Amsterdam Admirals. For the last three years he was executive director of the Silicon Valley Football Classic, which hosted a Division 1-A bowl game. Shelton raised the budgets to fund the bowl games, worked to solicit corporate sponsorships and built relationships with major gift prospects.
The Romney Stadium project includes a 55,000-square-foot athletic complex that will house a training room, weight room, football offices, locker rooms and an equipment room. The project also includes a 17,000-square-foot south end zone complex that will provide room for an Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame and a ticket office. New facilities also will be added on the east side of the stadium, including concessions, rest rooms and a food court. The press box on the west side also will undergo extensive renovation.
Shelton said he is excited about the opportunity to be part of a project that will give the football team and its fans the opportunity to play on a level playing field with other Western Athletic Conference teams. He said that having been in the coaching profession for 30-plus years gives him a thorough understanding of how top-notch facilities enhance an institution’s ability to recruit, train and retain high-quality student athletes. This is especially important and exciting as Utah State moves into the WAC.
“This is a special time in the history of Utah State, and my experience in this business offers me a chance to contribute in a meaningful way,” Shelton said. “My fondness for this community and for this school never went away. My wife and I have lots of friends here who we stayed in touch with, and we’re extremely happy to return.”