Rutgers-Newark is proud to announce the appointment of Jalon Avent as the new Director of Communications. Avent will serve as the primary media relations contact and will be responsible for the marketing and promotion of Rutgers-Newark's 14 varsity sports. He joins the Scarlet Raiders after serving as the Associate Executive Director of Communications at the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC).
During his time at the MAC, Avent managed the conference's internal and external communications, branding, website, and social media presence. He also supported the administration of the conference's 27 sports and 40 championships.
Before joining the MAC, Avent served as the Assistant Athletic Director at Onondaga Community College (OCC) from 2021-2023. In that role, he oversaw the operations and management of all OCC home athletic events, directed communications for the college's 16 sports, and was the point of contact for intramural and club sports.
Avent's experience also includes a stint as an assistant football coach at Alfred State College, where he coached the defensive line and managed the team's social media platforms.
Avent earned his bachelor's degree in Sport Management from Notre Dame College in 2016, where he was a standout on the football field and received all-conference honors. He went on to earn his master's degree in Sport Management from SUNY Cortland in 2020.
