Justin Bates returned to Boone as the Assistant Director of Marketing in August 2026. 
 
Recently serving as a graduate assistant for marketing, Bates graduated from App State in 2023 with a degree in criminal justice and earned a masters of business in May 2025. 
 
Bates grew up just an hour outside of Boone, allowing him to play youth football at Kidd Brewer Stadium. His Mountaineer fandom continued to grow as a student at App State. He served on the Student Yosef Club Executive Board from 2021 through 2023. He also worked as an intern in the App State athletics marketing department for the 2023-24 school year.
 
In his free time, Bates enjoys playing the guitar, going to concerts, hiking and attending App State sporting events.