Blackburn joins Milligan in April of 2026 with more than three decades of executive experience in intercollegiate athletics, including leadership roles at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT), the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), and Middle Tennessee State University.
Most recently, Blackburn served at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), where he held senior leadership roles from 2022 to 2025, including general manager of revenue sports. In those roles, he provided strategic oversight of revenue sports, fundraising initiatives and football operations.
Blackburn also brings extensive experience from the University of Tennessee, where he served in a variety of leadership positions over two decades. His work included overseeing football operations, supporting major fundraising efforts and contributing to the management of complex athletic programs.
"David has led athletic excellence at the highest levels," said Waers. "We are excited to see how David will lead Milligan to new levels of athletic excellence and how he will facilitate an even deeper integration of athletics into Milligan's mission of developing servant-leaders."
A Morristown, Tennessee, native, Blackburn holds a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
"I am honored and blessed to join Milligan University, and I especially want to thank Dr. Waers for this opportunity," said Blackburn. "Throughout my career, I have been drawn to places that value excellence, character and the holistic development of student-athletes. Milligan's Christ-centered mission is especially meaningful to me, and I look forward to partnering with our coaches, staff and campus community to build on a strong foundation and pursue continued success."
At Milligan, Blackburn will oversee an athletic program that has experienced significant success in recent years, including numerous conference titles and national championships.
