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Padraic McMeel joined Lake Sumter State College as the Executive Director of Athletics in January 2024.

McMeel previously served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Operations at Wright State University since June 2023.  During his time at Wright State, the department saw an increase in overall ticket sales and revenue including a new women’s basketball attendance record of 7,574 fans.

Prior to Wright State, McMeel was the Director of Athletics at Black Hills State University from June 2021-2023 and was responsible for the direct oversight and day-to-day operations of the BHSU Athletic Department and Donald E. Young Sports & Fitness Center. He also served as a member of the BHSU President’s Administrative Team. McMeel came to BHSU from the University of Arkansas at Monticello where he was the Associate Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics from 2018-2021. McMeel previously spent time in the Horizon League at Oakland University, where he began in 2014 before being promoted to Deputy Athletics Director in 2016. In 2018, he served as Interim Director of Athletics from January to August, overseeing all external operations of Oakland Athletics.

McMeel and his teams have had several successes including major gifts of $5 million and $2.5 million as well as the men’s basketball attendance ranked third in Division II and women’s basketball ranked fifth at Black Hills State.  At Oakland, sponsorships had also set record highs under McMeel's leadership, securing multi-year sponsorships which became the highest athletic sponsorships in school history, reaching over $1.2 million. Athletic Communications and Marketing focused its efforts on social media and video. A new cutting-edge website was developed by placing an emphasis on fan engagement through social media and witnessed an 18-percent increase in followers during the men's basketball season.

Before Oakland, McMeel was Associate Athletic Director for External Operations at Kennesaw State University. He spent over three years (2011-14) at KSU where he was instrumental in the Owls adding FCS football and was responsible for overseeing all external relations, including oversight of development, athletic communications, marketing and promotions, corporate sales, ticket sales and operations, creative services and video operations. Under McMeel's direction, KSU's external relations unit has experienced significant growth in the areas of staffing and revenue income. In his last year at Kennesaw State, McMeel led a comprehensive capital campaign, which included the start of a new FCS football program and facilities master plan. The campaign raised nearly $10 million, including leadership gifts of $5 million by Fifth Third Bank, various naming rights donations of $2.75 and $1.5 million, as well as $525,000 for a leadership gift for OWLS Champions Initiative. 

Prior to KSU, McMeel spent over three years as the Assistant Athletic Director for External Affairs at Missouri State. As a member of the senior administrative leadership team, he once again set records by elevating annual giving to the Bears Fund from $1.6 million in 2008 to $2.7 million in 2009. The Bears Fund experienced record donations during his three years, totaling close to $8 million. McMeel has also worked as the Associate/Assistant Director of Athletic Development at UCF (2005-08), Development Director for Special Olympics Michigan (2004-05), and was the Director of Athletic Development/Executive Director of the Redbird Club at Illinois State (2000-03).

He earned his bachelor's degree in sport administration from Central Michigan in 1994, and later returned there to complete a master's degree in athletic administration in 2005.  He is married to his wife Ashley and has a daughter Logan (16) and son Casen (13).