After serving as a member of the football program since its inception in 2009, Mark Hewes moved to a different role within the athletic department as he became the assistant athletic director for equipment services in February 2022.
In his new role, Hewes will work in collaboration with Adidas, athletic administration, coaches and staff to execute equipment services for all 17 sport programs at South Alabama.Â
Hewes’ responsibilities include handling purchasing, storing and distribution of all equipment and apparel for each of the program’s 17 sports, as well as developing inventory control within the Athletics Department. In addition to those responsibilities, Hewes assists with game operations and works with officials at basketball and baseball games.
Prior to making the move, Hewes spent the previous 12 seasons with the Jaguar football program, the last two as the director of operations. While with the program, he has filled numerous positions serving as both an undergraduate and graduate student equipment assistant and the director of player personnel, in addition to his most recent position.
As the director of operations, Hewes assisted with the program’s day-to-day operations including developing and managing budgets for football operations, equipment and video, coordinating all travel for home and away games, assisting with planning of preseason camp and practices, clinics and team-related activities, aiding with official and unofficial recruiting visits.  He also helped student-athletes with admissions, financial aid, dining and housing, NCAA Eligibility and compliance issues.
In his role as director of player personnel, Hewes helped the Jaguars have 35 individuals post a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher during the 2017 season — with 13 of those student-athletes making the Dean’s List — with those numbers going up to 36 and 15, respectively, in the spring.  Following the Jags’ second postseason bowl appearance in three years, the program had 40 individuals — highlighted by 17 on the Dean’s List — post a grade-point average of 3.0 or better, with 31 student-athletes able to accomplish the feat in the fall.  During the 2015-16 campaign, 38 members of the program had a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the fall while 37 accomplished the feat in the spring.  A total of 38 student-athletes finished with a 3.0-plus GPA the previous fall while competing in South’s first-ever bowl game, including 17 on the Dean’s List, with the total increasing to 42 individuals — highlighted by 15 who achieved Dean’s List honors — with a grade-point average at or above a 3.0 the next spring.
Four Jaguars have been voted first-team academic all-district by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America since the program’s inception and while Hewes served in the director of player personnel role.  Offensive lineman Trey Clark was honored in both 2011 and ’12, becoming the program’s first-ever individual to be selected an Academic All-American by the organization the latter year, with the 2012 campaign also marking the first time multiple student-athletes were named academic all-district in the same season after Alex Page was recognized on the defensive line also.  Rush Hendricks was a first-team academic all-district selection at tight end in the fall of 2013. He would later be chosen the Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholar Athlete of the Year in ’14, with defensive lineman Jesse Kelley joining him on the squad the latter season.
Hewes helped more than 20 of the program’s student-athletes receive Sun Belt Conference academic honors five consecutive years.  Following the 2012 season, 22 individuals were named to either the SBC Commissioner’s List or Academic Honor Roll, with that number climbing to 26 after the ’13 campaign.  South set a program record in 2014-15 with 28 student-athletes recognized by the Sun Belt for their work in the classroom during that academic year, with 26 individuals recognized following the ’15-16 academic year.
He began his time with the football program as a student equipment manager and a graduate assistant where he assisted in the day-to-day operations of the football equipment room. Â
Hewes received his bachelor’s degree from USA in 2010 and earned his master‘s degree in communication in 2018.  He is a member of the Lambda Pi Eta National Communication Honor Society (2010) and was presented the athletic department’s Matt Smith Award — given to a member of the South Alabama athletic staff who consistently goes the extra mile, has the spirit of commitment, strong work ethic, and a deep sense of pride in their job — at the 2017 Pete Tolbert Night of Champions.  Hewes is also a certified member of the Athletic Equipment Managers Association (AEMA).
Hewes and his wife Amy have three daughters, Ella Kate, Morgan and Charlotte. Â They reside in Daphne, Ala.
