Staff Biographies
luke Kelly Katherine John Cross Mathis Graham Bateman Operations Coordinator ◊ 1st Season
recruiting Operations coord. ◊ 2nd Season
graduate assistant manager ◊ 2nd Season
Marketing ◊ 10th Season
Luke Cross joined the Lady Bulldog Basketball staff in the summer of 2013 as Operations Coordinator. In this role, Cross is responsible for film exchange and breakdown, oversees the team’s student managers and assistants and helps coordinate game scheduling. “During Luke’s experience as a student manager he developed a strong awareness of the day-to-day operations within our office,” Andy Landers said. “His skill set and work ethic fit perfectly with this position. He has been a terrific asset to our program in the past and will continue to be for us in the future.” Cross served as a student manager for the Lady Bulldogs for three seasons from 2009-12. In addition, he held three positions on campus prior to joining the Lady Bulldogs on a full-time basis, working as a senior manager and lead official for intramural sports since August 2011, as a coordinator of the strength and conditioning center at the Ramsey Student Center since March 2012 and as a student ambassador for UGA Athletic Hospitality since August 2012. A native of Rabun Gap, Ga., Cross received his bachelor’s degree in recreation and leisure studies from UGA in December 2012.
Kelly Mathis joined the Georgia staff as coordinator of recruiting operations 2012. From 2011-12, she served as recruiting coordinator at Florida State and also was camp director for Seminole Girls’ Basketball Camps. Mathis was an assistant basketball coach at Washington and Lee University from 2010-11. In addition to coaching post players and defensive fundamentals, Mathis coordinated recruiting, team travel and film exchange and breakdown. From 2009-10, Mathis was business manager for Next Level Training in Knoxville, Tenn. She gained additional experience working basketball camps for the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Francis Marion, Davidson and Maryville High School. Mathis played at Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C. She helped the Lady Falcons to a 26-5 finish and the Conference Carolinas title as a sophomore, the same season she set the school single-game field goal percentage against Belmont Abbey by connecting on 9-of10 shots from the floor. A native of Maryville, Tenn., Mathis earned her bachelor’s degree in sports management from Pfeiffer in 2009.
Katherine Graham is in her second season as a graduate assistant manager with the Lady Bulldog Basketball program. Graham was a four-year letter winner at LSU, starting every game of her senior and junior season. She is one of only two players in LSU history to record a triple-double and the only player to do so in SEC play. Graham achieved that milestone on Feb. 7, 2010, with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Ole Miss. She was the 25th player inTiger history to finish with 500 career rebounds (513), while also finishing her career with 295 assists and 713 points. Named to the SEC Coaches’ All-Defensive Team in her senior season, Graham proved effective offensively as well, finishing with a team high 102 assists on the campaign. She also was the Tigers’ third leading scorer at 8.2 points per game. She was selected to the SEC Community Service Team as well. Graham starred at Ramsay High School in Birmingham, Ala., where she was coached by UGA assistant coach Robert Mosely. During Graham’s career, Ramsay was 126-13 and captured four straight Class 5A state titles. She also earned Class 5A all-state honors as a junior and senior.
John Bateman, who has been a member of the UGA Athletic staff for nearly two decades, was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing in March 2013 and is responsible for managing ticketing campaigns, venue concessions and merchandise contracts, promotional activities on georgiadogs.com, videoboard operations and gameday print operations. Bateman was Director of Promotions from 2004-06 and was responsible for the promotional efforts for all 21 Bulldog athletic teams. He joined the UGA staff in August 1994 and served as Assistant Director until 1997, when he was promoted to Associate Director. He was promoted to Director in July 2006. Bateman is a 1991 UGA graduate, receiving his bachelor’s in business administration. He served as a manager for the men’s basketball team for four seasons, including the 1990 SEC Championship squad. Bateman earned a master’s in sport management from Georgia in 1993 and worked as the championships and officiating assistant at the SEC office in Birmingham, Ala., for a year before returning to Athens. A native of Albany, Ga., Bateman is married to the former Jill Sirmans of Valdosta, Ga.
P E R S O N N E L
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