University of Oklahoma Athletics
Q&A With Zac Selmon
March 24, 2010 | Athletics
A Norman native and former football student-athlete at Wake Forest, Zac Selmon joined the Sooner Club staff in March as assistant director of development. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Selmon's father, Dewey, and uncles, Lee Roy and Lucious, anchored the Sooners defensive line in the mid-1970s.
Currently working towards his master's degree in intercollegiate athletics administration at OU, Selmon opens up to Sooner Insider about his connection to OU and his new role with the Sooner Club.
SI: How did your experience as a student-athlete shape your professional aspirations?
ZS: Being a student-athlete affirmed my belief that college athletics is fundamental in the development of young men and women. I've always had a passion for college athletics and my experiences as a student-athlete only heightened that passion. My interest in intercollegiate athletics administration grew as I spent more and more time with my Uncle Lee Roy while he was the athletics director at the University of South Florida. Uncle Lee Roy helped spark my interest, and my time as a student-athlete at Wake Forest solidified athletics administration as my career choice. I look forward to continuing to help young men and women have the opportunity to get a college education and display their athletic talents.
SI: Describe your connection to the University of Oklahoma. What made OU a great fit for you?
ZS: Oklahoma is home for me. I grew up listening to football stories from my father (Dewey Selmon) and uncles (Lucious and Lee Roy Selmon). It didn't take long for me to realize what a special place the University of Oklahoma is. My sister Shannon also played basketball at OU on the 2001-2002 Final Four team.
Besides the former Sooner student-athletes in my family, my mom, wife, mother-in-law, and father-in-law are all OU graduates. The University of Oklahoma connections are rampant throughout my family. Naturally, I'm drawn to OU because of those deep connections. On top of that, I know there is no better place in the country to work in college athletics than at Oklahoma. The leadership team we have at OU sets the standard for institutions across the country, and I'm excited and honored to be a part of that.
SI: What are you most excited about in your new role at OU?
ZS: Donor relations. There's no better athletics program in the country than OU, and our donors play a monumental role in that. They provide our student-athletes the resources to succeed in the classroom and on the field. I'm excited about continuing the championship tradition that makes the University of Oklahoma unlike any other institution in the country.
| Selmon bio | Sooner Club online |
SI: What are some of your hobbies?
ZS: I've just started to get into cooking. I love mixing and matching recipes and trying out new things. I also enjoy playing golf. My game's not exactly up to par, but nonetheless, I still enjoy going out and swinging the clubs when I can.
SI: What would you eat for your last meal?
ZS: Chicken fajitas. They always sound great.
SI: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
ZS: I am terrified of heights.
SI: What's on your iPod right now?
ZS: There are quite a few songs on there right now from all different genres. But the newest addition to my iPod is Wayman Tisdale's album “21 Days.” Wayman's album is on heavy rotation right now. He's inspirational.
SI: What has been your most memorable moment since coming to OU?
ZS: Working as a graduate assistant in event management opened my eyes to the hard work and preparation that goes into running first-class athletic events. As a player, I never saw the immense amount of work it took to run an athletic competition on a grand scale. Event management was eye-opening for me, giving me a behind-the-scenes look at athletic events.
SI: What is the last book you read?
ZS: John C. Maxwell's, Winning with People. He's a great author with valuable insights on leadership and relationships. I read his books every chance I get.
SI: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
ZS: Well, convincing my wife to marry me was a pretty big feat. But besides that, helping educate orphans in West Africa was pretty cool.
