Jennifer Lynne Williams was elevated to Director of Athletics October 10, 2018 after serving a year as the interim Athletic Director at Alabama State University (ASU). Previously, she served as the Deputy Athletic Director for the Hornets for the 2016-17 academic year.
Williams brings more than a decade of experience in athletics administration to Alabama State; and has experienced a tremendous amount of success in her first two years in Montgomery. Under the guidance of Williams, Alabama State captured its fifth consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Commissioner’s Cup by winning eight conference championships. The Hornets’ program also captured five regular season conference (or divisional) championships, and had three teams finish as conference runner-up and another finish in the top four in postseason tournaments.
Not only did Alabama State shine on the field, but it did in the classroom as well, as every team reached the threshold to be eligible for postseason play according to the NCAA APR results. Two of the teams scored a perfect 1000 — women’s cross country and bowling — and three others scored 990 or better. The success continued off the field for the Hornets as student-athletes, coaches and staff embraced Williams’ motto of ‘committing to connect’, with many serving actively in the community and presenting nationally in their respective areas.
At ASU, Williams serves on the President’s executive leadership team and manages the day-to-day operations of Hornet Athletics. Williams has direct oversight of the Hornet Club, the official fundraising arm of ASU Athletics, and serves as the sport administrator for football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.
Williams comes to Alabama State after spending four years as the Associate Athletic Director for Development and Executive Director of the Aggie Athletic Foundation at North Carolina A&T State University. Williams oversaw all giving initiatives for athletics, establishing and implementing aggressive fundraising programs, while overseeing the athletics marketing department. She was also the liaison between IMG Sports Properties.
During her time in Aggieland, Williams raised more than 4 million dollars in revenue, while doubling the number of donors to athletics. In 2014, the Aggie Athletic Foundation was recognized as a model booster organization by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Prior to arriving at NC A&T State University, Williams worked at DePaul University as the Assistant Director of Development for Athletics (2009-12). Here, she was responsible for advancing DePaul’s Athletic fundraising and alumni relationship efforts, increasing annual giving, and producing high level communication pieces for athletic events and fundraising initiatives.
Williams worked in development and marketing for Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators) and volunteered with the Seahawk Club at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington (2008-09). She began her career in athletic development at North Carolina Central University in 2005.
A four-year letterman and two-year captain in women’s basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Williams began her professional career as a reporter for the Tar Heel Sports Network and a production assistant for Fox Sports South. The Detroit, Mich. native earned her bachelor’s degree as a double major in Journalism and African-American history at North Carolina, and a Master’s degree in athletic administration from North Carolina Central, where she graduated magna cum laude.
Williams was recently appointed to the NCAA Division I Council, serving on the Football Oversight Committee as part of her council duties; and is in her second year as an Executive Committee Member of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD), an organization which enhances the athletics development and fund raising profession by providing educational, ethical and networking support.
Because of her commitment and service to the industry, Williams was named to North Carolina Central’s 40 under 40 Class of 2016 honorees, recognizing young NCCU alumni who have made significant contributions in the arts, entertainment, healthcare, sciences, education, law, business, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, public service, or government.
Williams currently resides in Montgomery, AL with her husband, Valdez, and daughter, Harper Lynne.
