BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The People. The Opportunity. The Place.  Those are several responses one may hear when asking someone about the special qualities that describe Campbell University and the Buies Creek community.
 
For two-time graduate Hannah Bazemore, Campbell, the people who helped her along the way and the opportunities they provided eventually led her professional path to the Director of Athletics chair of an NCAA Division I athletics department.
 
The generosity of Fighting Camel fans, alumni, family, and friends truly makes a difference in the lives of student-athletes at Campbell University.  Through the newly created Women's Empowerment Fund, the Fighting Camel Club's goal is to make that experience even better, specifically for our female student-athletes.  To join the Fighting Camel Club, click here.
 
Bazemore, who took over the AD role in July 2022, set foot on campus as a freshman in 2003 and immediately found the opportunity to work with two incredible personal and professional role models in college athletics.
 
Debbie Richardson, then the Senior Associate Athletics Director, and head basketball coach Wanda Watkins helped launch a career that not only would lead to full-time opportunities in field, but also to a chance to serve in an administrative position long been dominated by men.
 
Now two decades since her beginning her involvement with Campbell Athletics as a student manager with the basketball team, then moving into nearly every phase of the operation as an undergraduate and graduate student before focusing on the business side as a full-time employee, Bazemore is intent on providing opportunities and counsel to young people interested in pursuing a career in college athletics.
 
A Campbell kid
Growing up the child of two Campbell graduates, Hannah found herself on campus often in her formative years.  Her father Dennis, class of '77, was involved with the Board of Ministers and Board of Trustees during his time working as a pastor, including 14 years of service at First Baptist Church in Wallace, N.C.  Her mother, Linda – who holds two degrees – served as an educator.
 
"As a little kid, my brother (Stephen) and I would come to Campbell," Bazemore recalled.  "Several staff would spend time with us, take us around campus, and sometimes there were volleyball games going on as we'd walk by Carter Gym. We got to spend a lot of time on campus when my dad would come for various meetings."
 
Hannah played volleyball, basketball and softball at Wallace-Rose Hill High School, but did not consider pursuing varsity athletics on the college level.  As part of her senior project, she arranged for the Campbell volleyball team to visit Wallace-Rose Hill and conduct a camp.
 
Upon graduation, she wanted to enter the teaching and coaching profession and decided to follow Stephen, who was one grade level ahead, to the school she knew so well.
 
A family move
The opportunity to pursue a degree in education and pair that with coaching attracted Hannah to Campbell from an academic standpoint.  The chance to attend the same university where her brother studied was another plus when she was making her college choice.
 
However, two weeks after receiving her acceptance letter from Campbell, Hannah found out that she would not be the only one making the 75-mile move up I-40 to Buies Creek.
 
 
"My dad walked in and said he's coming here (to take the position as Dean of Student Life)," Hannah recalled.  "I always like to say that he followed me to Campbell, not the other way around."
 
Dennis Bazemore served from 2003-2022 before retiring as Vice President of Student Life.  Ironically, he served as interim Athletics Director for several months before the University hired Bob Roller in that position in 2011.  Little did Hannah know when she stepped foot on campus in August 2003 that she would be asked to fill that same role less than 20 years later.
 
"I felt like I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but that's not how it worked out," said Bazemore, who saw a path into coaching through learning as a student manager on an eventual Hall of Fame coach's staff.  "I took my first intro to education class and realized quickly that was not my path."
 
A different calling
Richardson, former head women's basketball coach at East Tennessee State, was in the midst of a 10-year stint on the Campbell Athletics staff and oversaw the internal operations of the department.  She employed an extensive student staff to help run Campbell's (then) 20-sport varsity program.
 
"Debbie was – and still is to this day– the most impactful person to me in my career," admits Bazemore.  "I left the women's basketball program as a manager and started as a student worker in operations.  I was helping paint lines on soccer fields, working concessions, working home game operations and any and everything they would let me do."
 
According to Bazemore, Richardson provided the opportunity for her to not only fill a job description, but to explore the field and grow in the process.
 
"She allowed me to ask any question I wanted to ask," she said.  "Our conversations sparked my curiosity about college athletics and how it all works.  She allowed me opportunities to get involved in anything that piqued my interest or anywhere an extra set of hands was needed.  I worked a summer with marketing, dabbled in compliance, just trying to figure out what it was that made the most sense to me and where my niche was."
 
Bazemore's career in college athletics literally grew from the ground up.  She still takes into consideration the overall needs of the department in her decision making.  An understanding of how all the pieces fit into the operation helps her problem solving and planning processes to this day.
 
Not only did Bazemore receive instruction as a sport management major with a minor in business, but she gained first-hand experience in seeing how a Division I athletics department was run.
 
Furthermore, she had two role models to help her see beyond those educational and practical opportunities and that she could build a career in college athletics.
 
Female leadership evident
Watkins enrolled at Campbell in 1975 as the school's first female athletics scholarship recipient.  She never left until retiring this past May after a combined 49 years (including four as an undergraduate) in Buies Creek.  By the time Bazemore began classes at CU, Watkins was already in her third decade as head women's basketball coach and had successfully guided the program through the Division I transition and into the 2000 NCAA tournament.
 
"For the longest time, Coach Watkins sat on a pedestal to me," said Bazemore.  "It as a privilege to be around her and as I got to know her better and see her in different capacities the more I came to admire her.  The way she carried herself, how she handled her business, and the way she treated and cared for other people set the standard of how to be a leader. And she was very successful so of course I wanted to try and emulate some of that".
 
Watkins left coaching in 2016 and joined the staff as Senior Woman Administrator and Senior Associate A.D. where the Campbell and Big South Conference Hall of Fame member provided extensive knowledge, experience and wisdom.
 
Richardson brought two decades of Division I coaching experience to Campbell when she joined the department in the late 1990s.  She instantly provided Bazemore with an example of how her professional career could grow.
 
"I had so much respect for Debbie," said Bazemore.  "The way she made decisions, the standard she set, her attention to detail, and the high expectations she set for herself and for everyone else pushed me to be my best. She didn't put up with nonsense and you always knew where you stood.  She was hard on me at times and challenged me constantly, but I never questioned or doubted that she cared about me.  I was fortunate to have a role model and a mentor that displayed what it looked like to be successful in athletic administration."
 
Saw the potential
Richardson early recognized Bazemore's promise as someone who would be successful.
 
"Campbell University is without question a special place – one that offers both its students and faculty-staff opportunities that go beyond the 'regular' college experience," said Richardson.  "In looking at my time at Campbell, my first experience working with Hannah was as a student.  She quietly set a high standard in our game management experience.  To see her grow and become a respected campus leader embodies her commitment and work ethic.  Hannah has always gone beyond the expected college 'requirements' to make the experience better for all."
 
Watkins also noticed the promise Bazemore demonstrated early on.
 
"It was such a joy for me to work alongside Hannah," said Watkins.  "She has a tremendous love for Campbell, and it shows in all that she does. Not many people know that when she was a student at Campbell she worked as a manager in our women's basketball program for a while. It makes me swell with pride to witness her growth as she has served in a number of positions here over the years and has such insight of the many facets and operations involving Campbell athletics. She knows the business from the ground up."
 
The next step
Taking Richardson's advice, Bazemore enrolled in Campbell's MBA program and served under her mentor as a graduate assistant from 2007-09.  She also had worked under former Associate AD for Business Randy Magill during her undergraduate days.
 
When Magill left for a similar position at UNC Wilmington, Bazemore landed her first full-time job as Athletics Business Manager at her alma mater.  Having a varied practical background helped prepare Bazemore for a position where she was literally handling full-time responsibilities of three people.
 
"I was responsible for all of the finances and the budget and learned on the job very quickly," said Bazemore.  "The job was everything from how we ordered gear and equipment, securing travel arrangements, paying all of the bills, managing contracts and personnel paperwork while also being the ticket manager and the equipment manager.  Anything at that time that involved money was part of the job."
 
Expanded roles
With the hiring of Roller in 2011, Bazemore was able to play a large role in the expansion of the department – both from a financial and developmental perspective.  As her role grew, so did her title, eventually leading her to the position of Senior Associate A.D. for business and finance.
 
"I realized that being a department of one, running three different units was not sustainable," recalled Bazemore.  "So, we first built out a ticket office, and took it from tearing off paper tickets at the door to an electronic and online system.  A few years later, we did the same thing with the equipment office."
 
Under Roller's direction, the department grew not only financially, but also expanded the administrative and coaching staff to meet then surpass the standard of Campbell's Big South Conference competition.
 
"What I admired most about Bob was that he had big-picture vision," said Bazemore.  "He knew in five years, 10 years, this is where we want to be.  And in my role that was perfect because knowing where we want to be in five years allowed me to work backwards and determine the steps needed to get there.  I was able to use my creativity and my problem-solving skills to develop plans to help accomplish that.  We took Campbell from being a steppingstone for coaches to a destination that many now call home."
 
Bazemore was heavily involved in the planning and implementation of programs that helped guide Campbell to unparalleled success in its Division I history.  Ultimately, that success played a large role in the University and its Athletics Department becoming a candidate for membership in the Coastal Athletic Association.
 
"Playing a part in the operation behind the scenes to propel Campbell forward was a big reason I wanted to stay here all of these years.  I was able to be part of the decision-making, both big and small, and was asked for my opinion and input.  I was given responsibility to make decisions and autonomy within certain areas and having that trust and confidence was important to me. Being at a place that I love, serving in a place that I call home and making an impact on Campbell Athletics to help our coaches and student athletes be successful and win championships has been more rewarding that I ever could've dreamed." 
 
That challenge was Bazemore's reward, and largely why she did not follow the typical path of moving from job to job in order to climb a professional ladder.
 
She never planned on becoming an A.D.
 
"I remember telling my family and friends that I never wanted that (the AD's) chair," said Bazemore.  "I got away from chasing a title at that point in my life, it became more important to me to make the biggest impact. My 'why's' started to change. It stopped being about me.  Instead of worrying about the title that I had, I just focused on the job we had to do and how I could help. I never dreamed that I would have this opportunity."
 
The opportunity
University president Brad Creed called Hannah in the summer of 2022 and asked her to serve as "acting" Director of Athletics.  The "acting" label was dropped before Thanksgiving and Bazemore was the head of a 21-sport operation that would move up to CAA membership less than one year later.
 
For someone who never sought after the job or title, Bazemore discovered that through her nearly two decades of experience in the department and learning from the likes of Richardson, Watkins and Roller, she had developed an understanding of how the Fighting Camels could grow and gained more and more confidence in her administrative talents.
 
"While never thinking about chasing a chair or title, I realized at that point I had a good sense of what it takes to continue building and growing our programs," said Bazemore.  "When Dr. Creed and I had that conversation and he asked me to step into the acting role, without hesitation, I said 'yes, I'll serve.'  If I can continue serving a place that I love so much that has given me so many opportunities, if there was any way I could give back, without hesitation, I certainly would."
 
"Drinking through a firehose"
That's how Bazemore termed her early months in her role.  One week after she assumed her new responsibilities, she hired Trena Prater as head softball coach, though Bazemore credits Watkins for leading that search. 
 
What has that team done in two seasons under Coach Prater? Two league regular season titles as well as a tournament championship and berth in the 2023 NCAA softball tourney.
 
Year two not only brought new rivalries and challenges as a member of the CAA, but also two more important hires.
 
The proper fit
Experience and success usually are the standards at which a hiring committee first looks when seeking to fill a leadership role in an organization.  Certainly, those are important factors when hires are made at Campbell.
 
Beyond those qualities, Bazemore seeks the right person.
 
"Knowing Campbell as well as I do, 'fit' is by far the most important criteria," said Bazemore, when she began her search to fill the head football coaching position.  "First, we needed to find somebody who was going to embrace the place.  Then, I wanted to find a leader who could build a good culture that compliments the department and university.  Then, I wanted to find someone who was going to be a marketer, be out in the community and be an extension of the department and the university in the best way.  I also want a coach who has a track record of good relationships with players.  Then after that, it's about how well you can coach the game, recruit student athletes and are we in alignment with the vision for the program."
 
The pool of candidates to fill the job was deep, but every time she evaluated, one named continued to appear at the top of her list.  Braxton Harris served as Campbell's associate head coach and linebackers coach in addition to recruiting coordinator and helped the Camels build the nation's top FCS recruiting classes in 2021 and 2022 before accepting the head coaching position at Houston Christian University.
 
Just one year later, he wanted to come back to The Creek.
 
"I kept coming back to Braxton," said Bazemore.  "We are in alignment on Campbell first and foremost, and also on our core values, our vision for Campbell Football, and what is expected as a head coach in the department.  We talked a lot about the University because it's not just about Campbell Football and he gets it".
 
Bazemore truly believes that Harris – without a doubt – is the right person for the job.
 
"We haven't played a game yet, but he's won almost every other category," she said.  "If you find the right person and right fit, I believe it's going to translate into what we're looking for on the field."
 
Staying in The Brotherhood
After a run of unprecedented success, Justin Haire left Campbell last month to accept the position as head baseball coach at Ohio State University.  Not only was Bazemore intent on finding the proper candidate to fill the role, but her sights were set on an even more narrow focus.
 
Again, she turned to someone who helped build Campbell into what the team has become over the last decade, Chris Marx, who left CU following the 2019 season to join former Camel coach Greg Goff at Purdue, where he served as lead assistant and pitching coach for the Boilermakers.
 
"The process didn't change for the baseball search," said Bazemore.  "Knowing that program so well, I knew that having a connection to 'the Brotherhood' was by far one of the most important pieces in a hire to follow Coach Haire.  Chris and I are in alignment on how special Campbell is. He knows this place, embraces it and knows that here you can achieve anything you want to achieve."
 
The legend down the hall
The last month has been different for Bazemore, who only had to walk a few steps down the hall in the athletic offices to seek the advice of someone with five decades of experience in collegiate athletics.  From her freshman year in college to her first two years on the job as Athletics Director, Bazemore could rely on the wisdom of a legendary college athletics figure.
 
"I can hardly put into words how beneficial and how fortunate that we were that Coach Watkins was right down the hall," said Bazemore.  "On any given day, I could just go sit down in her office and say whatever was on my mind.  Her ability to listen without judgment and provide guidance, advice and share her wisdom was incredible. She is so trustworthy and not only cares about me but cares so much about Campbell.  She was never shy about sharing her opinion even if we disagreed, but I trusted her and knew that regardless she had my back and was always supportive.  That alone helped me make some really hard decisions that were in the best interest of Campbell."
 
While Bazemore praises Watkins' wisdom and advice, the Hall of Fame coach is equally impressed with the fifth full-time Athletics Director under whom she has served.
 
"Hannah has a tireless work ethic and places the student- athletes at the forefront of every decision," said Watkins.  "It is with a great deal of respect and admiration that I look forward to watching the continual growth of Campbell athletics under her leadership. She is a proven winner in every way!"
 
Richardson also believes that Bazemore is the right person at the right time to lead Campbell Athletics.
 
"She also continues the leadership that will always make Campbell special," said Richardson.  "Hannah Bazemore embodies the commitment to the Campbell family.   All these years later, I still feel Campbell is home.   Thank you, Hannah, for the past, for the present and for the future that you bring to each of us."
 
The Opportunity
Now 21 years after Watkins and Richardson gave Bazemore her first look at a career in college athletics, Bazemore is doing the same for young women and men.  Four of her latest hires and promotions on the staff are Campbell graduates. 
 
Former women's soccer player Shelby Denkert is the new Assistant A.D. for Business, while fellow CU women's soccer grads Rosie O'Neal (Director of Student-Athlete Development) and Taryn Phillips (Director of Facilities and Game Operations) are in new roles.  Zach Berly, who first started working as an undergraduate student broadcaster, is the new Director of Creative Content.
 
"Campbell was such a unique opportunity for me – and it still is – where you can come in and wear multiple hats, get exposed to college athletics where we are competing on a national stage in some sports and experience Division I athletics up close," said Bazemore.  "You get to see behind the curtain a lot.  At other places, I don't know if you'd be afforded that opportunity.  I think that's a huge selling point. You come here and you can just about see and experience anything you want in college athletics."
 
Raised by parents who emphasized serving others, Bazemore leans on her faith and naturally assumes the same servant's attitude in how she lives her life daily.
 
"At the end of the day what we do or what we produce isn't the most important thing above all else, it's about who we go home to and the people we call friends and the people we trust, it's about relationships," said Bazemore.  "When I stop and pause and reflect on those who took the time to care for me and help develop me, it's my responsibility to do the same for others and empower those in leadership to continue to pay it forward.  We have a responsibility to leave this place better that it was the day before and it takes people and relationships to make that happen."
 
It's the people
For an institution that has grown from a small academy to junior college, senior college and a university that competes at the highest level, Bazemore – like so many who call Campbell their alma mater or Buies Creek their home – says it's the people through the years that make this place special.
 
"That's our responsibility, that's our charge, to continue to pay it forward and pass it down," she said.  "Finding, hiring and retaining the right people, that's how Campbell is going to continue to thrive."