Where Are They Now? Jenny Bramer

Aug. 3, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Mission Statement of the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department includes the well known credo, "Inspiring champions today and preparing leaders for tomorrow."

When your team racks up 21 straight semesters with a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or better, you are certainly preparing your student athletes for life away from the court.

That has been the case under OU women's basketball head coach Sherri Coale during her 11-year tenure. The former English teacher, with continual assistance from OU's award winning academic services department, has always emphasized the books on the same level as the basketballs.

"One of my favorite parts of gameday is seeing our former players," said Coale. "I love to share our success with them and feel their excitement for our program.

"But that pales in comparison to the pride I have in their personal successes. We have so many former players who are doing tremendous things in the community and too many times their public story ends on the sports page when they leave the basketball arena. These ladies should be celebrated for the first class ambassadors of this institution and state that they have become."

With those success stories in mind, SoonerSports.com is beginning a summer feature series that will bring to light the professional ventures of several former Sooner stars:

Former Sooner Jenny Bramer is among a rare breed of athletes that had the ability to play two sports at the Division I level.

In 1993 Bramer was recruited from Omaha, Nebraska on a track (high jump) scholarship. From 1992-96 Bramer was a member of Oklahoma's track team earning All-America honors in 1995 and champion honors in several meets throughout her career.

Basketball remained a love even after she thought her career had ended in high school. As a track athlete, Bramer would play pickup games as a part of her workout.

Little did she know, in 1996 upon the arrival of head coach Sherri Coale, she would be given the opportunity to spend her fifth year of eligibility playing for the women's basketball team.

"It was a great experience," said Bramer. "The two sports are so different. It was neat to experience both and Coach Coale is amazing."

Having already finished her undergraduate degree in public relations, Bramer spent her fifth year working towards a graduate degree. In May 1997, Bramer finished her career as a Sooner and graduated with her masters in public relations.

However, she did not leave the university, or the basketball program. Instead, she began on a journey through numerous departments within two athletics departments.

Immediately following graduation, Bramer took a graduate assistant position in OU's development office. It was at this point that she also took over as the color commentator OU women's basketball, holding the position until 2001.

After her year in development, she was hired in the career services arm of the athletics academic services office. It was just a year until she was hired as the assistant director of compliance. She served in this role from 1999-2001. In 2001 Bramer was named the Director if Compliance at OU.

Two years later Bramer was offered the position of Assistant Athletic Director of Compliance at San Diego State University. At the time, SDSU was coming off NCAA probation and Bramer saw it as a career challenge.

"When I moved to San Diego I had no ties here. I knew no one." said Bramer. "Being a career oriented person I saw it as an opportunity and challenge. I wanted to come here and help clean them up. And then of course there was the perk of where I get to live."

After a year at San Diego State, Bramer had stirred SDSU's compliance department in the right direction and she began to take on additional administrative duties.

In July 2005 she was given the title Associate Athletics Director. After a year in the position, the SDSU added Senior Woman Administrator to her title.

Currently serving as the Associate AD/ Senior Woman Administrator, Bramer has many roles, including supervising such sports as the Final Four appearing water polo team, the baseball team, and making her life a full circle, the women's basketball team.

Other Where Are They Now Features...
WATN-Caton Hill
WATN-Dionnah Jackson
WATN-Tami Rogers
WATN-Desiree Taylor
WATN-Shannon Selmon
WATN-Stephanie Simon
WATN-Elissa Walker-Campbell
WATN-Phylesha Whaley
WATN-Michele Workman

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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