A member of the Tech Athletics staff for more than a quarter of a century, Frank Harrell is now in his 22nd year as a member of the department's administration. He holds two distinct titles - Associate Director of Athletics for Sports/Compliance and Director of Compliance.
   
Harrell is involved in every aspect of the department from budgeting to gameday operations. He also serves as the director of the Athletics Association and has served as director of the hugely successful Golden Eagle Scramble summer golf tournament.
   
As a senior administrator, his responsibilities include overseeing the operations of each of Tech's 16 teams as well as handling the university's efficient structure to ensure compliance with NCAA rules. As director of compliance, Harrell is responsible for seeing that the Tech Athletics staff is up-to-date and in line with the ever-changing NCAA rules. He joined the Golden Eagle basketball coaching staff in 1980 and was named head basketball coach in December 1987. He took on an administrative role in 1990 when he was called upon to oversee the department's fledgling compliance efforts. He worked in the dual role of compliance coordinator and head basketball coach until he stepped down from the coaching ranks in 1992.
   
Harrell was associate head coach for nine years and head coach 10 seasons.  He was named Coach of the Year in 1991 by the Tennessee Sportswriters Association and compiled a 128-154 career record. His teams had the second-best conference record during his seasons as head coach.
   
He was named interim athletic director in 2004, a position he held for six months until the university's search for a full-time A.D. brought Mark Wilson to the program. On July 1, 2004, Harrell returned to his role as associate athletics director.
   
With Harrell as its director, the Athletics Association is on solid ground, seeing dramatic growth in endowed scholarships and operating expenses.
   
A native of Ray City, Ga., Harrell, 61, received his bachelor's degree in 1972 from Georgia Southwestern and a master's degree in 1977 from the University of Tennessee. Frank has one grown daughter, Lisa, and one granddaughter, Katie.