TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Indiana State University Foundation has announced the hiring of former Sycamore basketball star Nate Green as the Executive Director of the Sycamore Athletic Foundation (SAF) and Darrin Barton as the Director of Development for Athletics. Green will begin his new leadership position for the Foundation on September 6, 2011, and Barton started on July 11. The hiring of these two experienced professionals marks a significant investment in Sycamore athletics at a time of great success throughout the program.

"Nate has been very involved with what is going on with Sycamore Athletics," Gene Crume, president of the Indiana State University Foundation said. "He was among the first to say yes to serving on the new Sycamore Athletic Foundation board. He has been strong advocate for the growth and direction of the board and is passionate about securing funds to grow our athletic programs."

The SAF is the athletic philanthropic support division of the ISU Foundation. Since its inception in 2010, the board has worked to develop the framework to obtain long-term private support. This new vision for athletics development includes the immediate priorities of creating a substantial student athlete scholarship fund, improving facilities and significantly increasing annual philanthropic support.

"I became involved with the SAF first as a board member because I believe in the direction and focus of the group. I genuinely feel we have some of the best student athletes and coaches in the country and with the support of the SAF, I know we can accomplish some truly special things," Green said.

The Varsity Club, which most Sycamore supporters recognize as the fundraising arm of athletics, is the annual giving function of athletic fundraising and is part of the SAF. Much of the support through the Varsity Club relates to a points system that allows donors to receive priority seating and the first opportunities to special athletic events such as the upcoming Sycamore football game at Penn State and basketball tickets during the NCAA Division I Championship.

"The SAF is an exciting venture for athletics fundraising, and the goal is simple - to help move Indiana State athletics into the upper half of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in terms of philanthropic support," Crume said. "Nate is the perfect person for this vision along with Darrin and with the support of ISU Director of Athletics Ron Prettyman and his staff."

"The adopted strategic plan mandates that our fundraising efforts be elevated to, at a minimum, the midpoint benchmark of the Missouri Valley Conference schools' fundraising dollars. We have a lot of work to do to achieve that goal, but I am confident that with the leadership in the ISU Foundation and the SAF, the support of our University administration, and the commitment that has been exhibited by our coaches and student athletes, we can and will achieve this goal," Prettyman said.

In 2010, private philanthropic contributions to ISU Athletics ranked in the bottom tier for the number of donors and total dollars raised by the schools within the MVC. The University's strategic plan, The Pathway to Success, addresses these issues and aims to obtain a ranking among the median MVC schools by 2014.

"I am excited to see the development, commitment and growth of the SAF. With our recent successes in the athletics department, the time is right for us to move forward boldly and urgently with our fundraising efforts," Prettyman said. "The quality team in the ISU Foundation, the SAF and the Athletics Department working together is a great formula for success as we work to provide quality opportunities for our student athletes, coaches and the University."

As a 2001 graduate, Green's enthusiasm stems from his tenure as a basketball student athlete. At Indiana State, Green was a catalyst on the 1999-00 Sycamore basketball team that won the Missouri Valley Regular Season Championship and played in the NCAA Tournament. After graduation, Green played professional basketball for eight years, mostly in the in the Italian and European basketball leagues, where he led teams to playoff wins, European Cup victories and Italian Cup victories. Green was also named league MVP, as well as twice chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year. Since 2009, Green has served as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch and partner of the Dorman Vickers Green Group in Terre Haute.

"I have a deep love and passion for Indiana State. I look back on my time as a Sycamore student athlete as some of the very best years of my life and I'm very thankful and energized to be returning to campus in this new capacity," Green said. "The SAF is building an athletic support structure that is extraordinarily one of a kind. We have a long and exciting road ahead, and it's something that without hesitation I want to be a part of."
Terre Haute native, Darrin Barton joined the team as the Director of Development for the SAF. Barton will be working with athletic fundraising from the major gift, program initiative and facility development initiatives. His previous work experience includes 12 years of sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical industry. Barton, also a collegiate athlete, played baseball at Southern Illinois University, and has been an assistant coach with The Terre Haute REX, a local prospect league franchise, during its inaugural and second seasons.
"This is the most exciting time in the last 30 years to be a part of Sycamore Athletics and by being in a leadership role with the SAF I can utilize my relationships and relationship building skills to reconnect alumni to Indiana State Athletics," Barton said.
Also joining the SAF team is Matt Foster of Marshall, Ind. "Many in the Wabash Valley will recognize Foster from his work the previous two years with Terre Haute REX Baseball," Crume said. "His thoroughness and strong work ethic will make him a great asset for the SAF team."

For The REX, Foster served as the finance manager overseeing areas such budgeting, accounting and reporting. Foster, a 2009 graduate from Indiana State's Scott College of Business, has accepted the position of assistant director for the Varsity Club. His responsibility will include the annual giving program and fundraising event activities for the SAF.

"People are excited about what is going on in Sycamore athletics. I have heard it from numerous alumni and the community," Crume said. With so much momentum behind our athletic program coming into this year, Nate's leadership, along with the entire SAF team, compliments the work of the coaches, athletes and administration."