P E R S O N N E L
Staff Biographies
Maria Shannon Brendan Jolie breen dolezal Dwyer Helton Nutrition
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3rd Season
Maria Breen joined the UGA Athletic Association staff as a sports nutritionist in August 2010 and coordinates nutrition and meal planning with UGA student-athletes. She specifically works with the women’s basketball, cross country, gymnastics, swimming and diving and baseball programs and supervises efforts for the equestrian, men’s golf and men’s tennis teams. Breen, a Savannah, Ga., native, obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UGA. She secured Cum Laude honors while earning undergraduate degrees in both dietetics and consumer foods in 2007. Breen then received her master’s in food & nutrition in 2009. Breen completed the process to earn the credentials of RD (Registered Dietitian) in 2010, and in 2013 obtained the designation of CSSD (Certification as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics). While in graduate school, Breen began working with the UGA Athletic Association as a student-athlete tutor and mentor from 2008-10. She was named the organization’s Tutor of the Year in 2008-09. After graduation, Breen served as a research assistant for the UGA Bone Clinic from 2009-10, focusing on pediatric bone intervention testing and trials.
Athletic Training ◊ 8th Season
Event Management ◊ 3rd Season
Shannon Dolezal joined the UGA Athletic Association’s sports medicine staff in July 2006. Dolezal also has aquired additional experience working with the United States Olympic Committee, USA Basketball and USA Field Hockey. She was athletic trainer for the U.S. team that won the women’s basketball gold medal at the 2011 World University Games in China. Prior to arriving in Athens, Dolezal served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Connecticut from 2004-06, working with the women’s soccer, softball and men’s and women’s track and field teams, while also assisting with women’s basketball. During 2002 and 2003 she served as an intern for the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Dolezal received her bachelor’s of science degree in athletic training from the WisconsinLa Crosse in 2004 and her master’s in exercise science from Connecticut in 2006. She also received certification as an athletic trainer and as a strength and conditioning specialist in 2004 A native of Eagan, Minn., the former Shannon Becker is an avid runner. In October 2013, she completed her fifth marathon (Chicago) in the past three years. Shannon married Sam Dolezal in June 2013.
Brendan Dwyer joined the UGA Athletic Association in July 2011 as Assistant Director of Event Management. His duties include overseeing women’s basketball, cross country, soccer and track & field. Prior to coming to Athens, he was the Operations Manager at American University, where he was the lead event manager for soccer and swimming and diving and assisted with basketball. He also served as liaison between the athletic department and renters of American’s athletic facilities. Before leaving his mark at American, Dwyer was an event supervisor with Event Partners Inc. from 2008-09, assisting with operations of Carolina First Arena in Charleston, S.C.; Heritage Park Amphitheater in Simpsonville, N.C.; Appalachian State football stadium; and Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum. Dwyer also served as an intern at Clemson from 2007-08. A native of Silver Spring, Md., Dwyer earned two degrees from East Carolina University, his bachelor’s in communications and a master’s in sports management. He also assisted in multiple areas of ECU’s athletic department while a student there.
48 • 2013-14 Georgia Basketball
Promotions
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2nd Season
Jolie Helton, a 2008 graduate of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, returned to her alma mater as assistant director of promotions in July 2012. Helton oversees promotional efforts for the women’s basketball, softball, swimming and diving and volleyball programs. She is game day producer of those sports, directing pre- and in-game entertainment, public address, music and videoboard elements and coordinates the design and production of posters and promotional items for all sports. Helton came to Georgia after serving as assistant director of sports marketing at High Point for two years. She also was a marketing assistant at the University of South Carolina from 2009-10 and at the University of Washington from 2008-09. From 2006-08, the Alpharetta, Ga., native was a student assistant in UGA’s promotions and marketing department while an undergraduate and worked with the baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, football, gymnastics, soccer and men’s and women’s tennis programs. She received her bachelor’s degree in marketing in May 2008.