Born and raised in Durham, NC just three miles from Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Austin fell in love with the hometown baseball experience before he could walk. From Durham, he ventured to Madison, WI, where he graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Religious Studies. During summer breaks, Austin worked for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League as a "Beer Mover." Yes, that was his real job title. His first full season in baseball was 2015, when he interned with the Burlington Royals. Between Madison and Burlington, Austin gained a special appreciation for summer collegiate wooden bat league baseball and the Appalachian League. He believes that the fans, the ballparks and the communities encompass all that is right about hometown baseball, and the family-friendly atmosphere creates the opportunity for unforgettable fan experiences.
When he graduated from Wisconsin, Austin moved to Greensboro, NC, where he spent two seasons as a Sales Associate with the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League. While in Greensboro Austin served as an ambassador--and on the membership & marketing committee--for the High Point Chamber of Commerce. Austin proudly conceptualized and executed the first "Interfaith & Community Night" in professional sports with the Grasshoppers, finally proving to his parents that a Religious Studies degree kind of actually made sense.
Following the 2017 season, Austin moved to Daytona Beach, FL, and began his tenure with the Daytona Tortugas as Director of Sales. He was promoted to Director of Corporate Partnerships following the 2018 season, then Assistant General Manager following the 2019 campaign. When he wasn't singing and dancing on the dugouts during games, Austin invested in the community. He served three years as Marketing Chair for the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties Generation IMPACT board and one year as Social Media Chair for the Rotary Club of DeLand. He also served one year as Networking Events Chair for the Volusia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and one year as an ambassador for the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce.
Austin could not be more thrilled to return to the Appalachian League and make home in Danville, a community that he has already fallen in love with. The revitalization of old tobacco and textile buildings downtown reminds him of the transformation he saw in his hometown of Durham, and he looks forward to the Danville Baseball Club playing a similar role that the Durham Bulls played in reimagining the city. If he is not at the ballpark, Austin can be found running along the Riverwalk Trail, listening to far too many podcasts, rearranging his closet to fit his sneaker collection or stressfully watching his Wisconsin Badgers play in far too many nail-biting games.
