MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois Athletics Department announced that Dakarai Calhoun will take over the athletic equipment room duties for the Leatherneck Football program. In his second year at Western, Calhoun will continue to work directly with the men's basketball program.

Since joining the department in May 2011, Calhoun assisted with the Leatherneck sport programs in issuance and receipt of athletic equipment, setting up for practices and games, supervise the locker room services and security, and travel with teams on occasion to assist with equipment needs.

Prior to joining Western, he worked for three years at William & Mary as an assistant equipment manager. He worked directly with men's/women's basketball, volleyball, men's/women's soccer, men's/women's tennis, lacrosse and field hockey. Calhoun supervised seven student assistants across all sports, coordinated payment of officials for basketball games, assisted in the football operations at home and on the road, assisted with budget and equipment purchases.

He spent one year in the Arena Football League working with the Tallahassee Titans as athletic assistant and equipment manager. Calhoun not only worked with the team's equipment needs but also assisted the public relations department in sponsorship, assisted with travel needs and player/coach tickets for home and road contests.

Calhoun worked four years at Florida A&M as assistant equipment manager, working with the head manager with the football program. He interned during the summer of 2005 with the Jacksonville Jaguars in player operations.

A member of the Athletic Equipment Managers Association (AEMA), Calhoun earned his bachelor's degree from Florida A&M in political science with a minor in graphic design. He and his wife Rica live in Macomb.

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