Published on February 5, 2025 by Catherine Smith  

Caroline Hurt Fast Track in Sports BusinessCaroline Hurt, a high school senior from Milan, Tennessee, became the first incoming freshman accepted into Samford University’s new Fast Track in Sports Business program. The program offers an accelerated curriculum for students to earn both a BSBA and MBA in five years while gaining hands-on experience through an 18-month sports industry residency.

Hurt’s acceptance marks a connection to the program’s director, Darin White, Margaret Gage Bush Distinguished Professor at Brock School of Business, whose career in collegiate athletics dates back more than two decades. In 1998, White, then the founding coach of Union University’s men’s soccer team, recruited goalkeeper Jason Hurt, Caroline’s father, to his inaugural team.

In 2011, White went on to launch Samford’s sports marketing and analytics program, which has gained national recognition. As executive director of the Center for Sports Analytics, he has developed partnerships with major sports organizations to provide students with industry exposure.

Samford’s new Fast Track in Sports Business program builds on this foundation by integrating a specialized curriculum with real-world experience, preparing students for leadership roles across the sports industry.

APPLY: 2025-26 Fast Track in Sports Business applications close Feb. 15.

Accepted into the program in November 2024, Hurt expressed enthusiasm about combining innovative curriculum with her personal backstory. “Following in my father's footsteps by working with White, though in a different capacity, feels like destiny. I'm honored to be the first student accepted into this innovative program and excited to help shape its future.”

White highlighted the program’s long-term vision, emphasizing its role in preparing future sports business leaders. “This connection represents everything that makes sports special,” said White. “To see Jason’s daughter become the first student accepted into this groundbreaking program demonstrates how the impact of sports extends far beyond the field and across generations.”

The Fast Track in Sports Business program reflects Samford University’s commitment to equipping students with the knowledge and experience necessary for careers in the evolving sports industry, and is why Samford University is ranked No. 8 in the nation for career preparation and No. 10 in the nation for most recommended colleges in the U.S. by The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.