Mike Vaught

Mike Vaught
Mike Vaught in 2015 at Grand Canyon University
Education	B.S. in Physical Education, Arkansas Tech University
Occupation	Vice President of Athletics
Years active	2014-present
Employer	Grand Canyon University
Spouse(s)	Karri Vaught (m. 1988)

Mike Vaught (born c. 1961) is an athletic administrator at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, being named to the position on October 15, 2014. He has previously served as deputy athletic director at Southern Methodist University and assistant athletic director at Rice University. Aside from athletic administration, Vaught has been an assistant football coach at University of Arkansas, Missouri State University, Texas State University and the United States Naval Academy. Prior to accepting the position at Grand Canyon, Vaught was the director of corporate sponsorship at AdvoCare.

Vaught began his coaching career in the 1984 season, serving as a graduate assistant at Arkansas. He went on to coach at Missouri State and Texas State before serving as the offensive coordinator at Navy. Under his direction, Navy's rushing attack was the top-ranked in the country in 1999.

Vaught got his start in athletic administration at Alamo Heights Independent School District and Montgomery Bell Academy, accumulating five years of athletic director experience in high school athletics.

In the position of Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations, Vaught made a notable impact in his short six-month stint at the University. Working in concert with Rice head coach Todd Graham, the program made its first bowl game appearance in 45 years. Vaught also bolstered his reputation as a fundraiser, bringing in $5 million for the program in 14 weeks.

Vaught served six years as the deputy athletic director at SMU. Highlights of his career at the university included assisting in the hiring of football coach June Jones and men's basketball coach Larry Brown. In 2009, the SMU football program ended a 25-year bowl game drought, symbolizing the revitalization of the program following the death penalty in 1987.