Eric Boggs
Another Ohio State staff member is joining the University of Michigan this season. On Tuesday, several outlets were confirming that Erin Dunston, Ohio State’s assistant athletic director for football recruiting and events, had accepted a position as Michigan’s director of operations.
Dunston joined Ohio State in March 2021 as the Buckeyes’ director of on-campus recruiting. In her three years there, she managed budgets for official visits, unofficial visits, game day recruiting, and special events. Despite being promoted in February, she becomes the second Ohio State staff member to leave for Michigan this offseason, following former running backs coach Tony Alford.
Dunston’s sister, Jillian, is an assistant coach for Michigan’s women’s basketball team.
Erin Dunston, who graduated from Delaware and earned a master’s degree in kinesiology from LSU, has also worked in administrative roles at LSU, Kansas, and Purdue.
Last year, in an interview with The Dispatch about expanding his support staff, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day praised Dunston’s work in recruiting. Day said she had done “an unbelievable job” organizing official visits in June, a busy time with up to 16 visitors on the busiest weekends. “She’s become an event planner,” Day said. “It’s like being a wedding planner, but for the whole weekend, not just one event.”
In her new role as director of operations for Michigan, Dunston will handle the program’s planning and logistics. She will work with Kayli Johnson, Michigan’s director of on-campus recruiting, and report to Scott Goldschmidt, the new associate athletic director of operations. Given her significant contributions to Ohio State’s recruiting efforts, her departure might be more critical to Ryan Day and the Ohio State football program than the loss of Tony Alford.
