Highly respected sports journalist Paul Suellentrop is joining Wichita State as a senior communicator to provide comprehensive coverage of the Shockers' momentous first season competing in the American Athletic Conference and beyond. 

Suellentrop's stories, podcasts and videos on WSU sports will be posted primarily on GoShockers.com and will also be made available to news media outlets and through social media.
 
Lou Heldman, vice president for Strategic Communications, said: "Paul is already well known to Shocker Nation through more than a decade as the primary reporter covering WSU athletics for The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com. We've asked him to use his journalistic talent and knowledge of our teams, coaches, supporters and history to develop new approaches to reporting on athletics and other university activities."
 
Suellentrop said: "I grew up in a Shocker family. My parents first bought season men's basketball tickets for Levitt Arena in the 1960s. My own Shocker sports memories go back to early childhood.
 
"In recent years," Suellentrop said, "I've gotten to be an eyewitness to many great moments in Shocker sports, including men's basketball cutting down nets in Madison Square Garden, Staples Center, Scottrade Center and Koch Arena. I'm looking forward to increased access to teams and coaches in my new role."
 
Suellentrop's new role is a collaboration between WSU Athletics and Strategic Communications. He'll also be communicating about university-wide topics such as applied learning and innovation.
 
WSU Athletics Director Darron Boatright said the rise of social and mobile news distribution has dramatically changed the media considerations for university athletics departments.
 
"We see fans nationwide having higher expectations for the depth, breadth and formats of content provided by universities," Boatright said. "Because Paul's work already has established credibility with those who care about intercollegiate sports, we think his work will bring expanded audiences and favorable attention to our teams and media sites."
 
Suellentrop, who begins Sept. 25, will be part of WSU's Strategic Communications staff. He is a graduate of Kapaun Mount Carmel Catholic High School and Benedictine College. Before joining The Wichita Eagle in 2000, he worked for newspapers in Atchison, Valley Center, Enid, Oklahoma and St. Joseph, Missouri.