Erin Blecha, the new director of marketing and promotions. (Johann Qua Hiansen | Student Life)

The Washington University Athletic Department now has a new marketing and external relations coordinator, Erin Blecha.

The position includes many important tasks to be completed throughout each sports season. From advising Red Alert to determining the logistics of events and finding sponsors, Blecha has a big job ahead of her—though she seems determined to expand even more.

“Erin Blecha is going to be a great asset in the Wash. U. Department of Athletics and will continue to improve the marketing and promotions of Bears’ athletics and our student-athletes,” Sports Information Director Chris Mitchell said.

Blecha replaces Trevor MacDonald, who created the position two years ago. MacDonald took a job at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) as director of marketing and operations.

Blecha joins the University community with a master’s degree in communication from the University of Arizona, a Division I school, where she interned for one year in the athletic department’s marketing office.

“It’s a great opportunity to get into the Division III athletic setting and build upon a strong athletic tradition which is going on here at Wash. U.” Blecha said. “[There are] lots of winning teams and really excited students who are involved in the campus and the community.”

But Blecha is no stranger to the Division III athletic system. She attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., competing as a successful track and field athlete and making the all-conference team all four years. Blecha captured the 2006 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship high jump in her junior year and competed at the Division III NCAA Indoor National Championships in the high jump in 2007.

Blecha’s familiarity with the dual responsibilities of a student-athlete has influenced her future plans. She hopes to develop “more community involvement…[such as] a letter-writing program with some of the schools to promote education and the importance of being a student and an athlete.”

As Division I sports tend to have “built-in students and community members coming to games,” Blecha recognizes the greater challenge of attracting students to a Division III event. There are already many plans in development to increase student attendance.

Blecha has clearly done her homework, as she is aware of the popularity of raffles and giveaways at Wash. U. She promises that there will be some great halftime promotions, including a shooting contest, giveaways and incentives at sporting events. One of Blecha’s goals this year is to “appeal to the student population as a whole, not just those who love sports.” She even hinted that some restaurant sponsors would be giving away free food at games.

Blecha and the Athletic Department are excited to continue working side by side with Red Alert and intend to keep building the program, aiming for more consistency in promotions at all athletic events.

The No. 16 women’s team (14-4, 6-1 UAA) will rematch No. 15 NYU (16-2, 5-2 UAA) tonight at 6 p.m., five days after the Bears defeated the then-No. 8 ranked Violets 63-53. Sophomore Kathryn Berger posted a team-high 11 points in the victory, the 10th win for the Bears in their past 11 games.

During halftime of the women’s game, the 2008 Washington University Sports Hall of Fame class will be recognized. Ten of the newest inductees are former student-athletes, including Tasha Rodgers, a member of all four women’s basketball NCAA National Championship teams from 1998-2001, and Kevin Folkl, the men’s basketball team’s ninth all-time leading scorer and career leader in field goal percentage.

Also being inducted are two Distinguished Service Honorees, Hord Hardin (’35) and W. Edward Lansche (’48), bringing the total in the Hall of Fame to 132.

The men’s basketball team, ranked No. 2 in Division III nationally (17-1, 7-0 UAA), will then play NYU (13-5, 2-5 UAA) at 8 p.m. Junior guard Aaron Thompson will look to continue his hot streak, having scored 29 points in Sunday’s 67-56 win. Thompson is averaging 18.6 points per game for the season and has led the Bears in scoring the past five games.

The St. Louis Rams cheerleaders will perform during halftime of the men’s game and will be signing autographs after the game.

“[The Rams cheerleaders] actually contacted us and wanted to come perform at Wash. U., and they’re actually tied in with somebody who is affiliated with [the University],” said Trevor MacDonald, director of marketing and external relations for Washington University Athletics.

Tonight is also Eliot Night, where many of the contributors to University and athletic funding are invited to attend both games and a dinner beforehand.

Trying to remain perfect in UAA conference play, the men will play Brandeis University on Sunday at noon. Brandeis (12-6, 5-2 UAA) is the No. 2 team in the UAA and will be looking for revenge after a close 80-75 loss on Friday, Jan. 30 in which the Judges gave up the most points they had all season.

Despite having four players score in double figures, the Judges were bested by Wash. U.’s balanced offense and Thompson’s 18 points.

“Rematch games are always a little bit harder, especially offensively, because the other team gets to make defense adjustments. But if you flip that around, we get to make defensive adjustments also,” junior forward Cameron Smith said. “Every game in the UAA is going to be a dogfight, and Brandeis is one of the better teams [in the conference] this year, and we know they’re going to come to play on Sunday.”

Sunday, Feb. 8 is the second annual Youth Day, featuring free autographs from all of the basketball players, face painting, J.J. Jumper (the NCAA mascot), giveaways and much more youth-centered programming.

“We’ve done a lot of clinics throughout the year where kids keep coming back because they need a Sean Wallis or a Tyler Nading, and they want to come back and see them play and say hello to them. I think it’s nice to see the kids come out and get to see their idols play, and meet them and get their autographs,” MacDonald said.

At 2 p.m., the women take the court in another tough battle against No. 24 Brandeis (13-4, 3-4 UAA). Last weekend, the Bears defeated Brandeis 61-55 in a come-from-behind victory.

This weekend’s women’s games are of added importance given how close the UAA standings currently are. Wash. U. and No. 3 Rochester are tied atop the conference at 6-1 while NYU is only one game behind at 5-2. Rochester will face Emory and Case Western Reserve University this weekend, both of whom are 2-5 in conference play while Brandeis and NYU will also face the University of Chicago (13-5, 4-3 UAA) this weekend.