Jackson State Vice President and Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson has reportedly moved a step closer to becoming the next athletic director at Texas Southern, although the hire still requires approval from the Board of Regents at the HBCU.
Terrance Harris of the Houston Defender reported that Texas Southern President J.W. Crawford III has recommended Robinson to the Board of Regents for the vacant athletic director position. TSU has publicly confirmed that candidates for both its AD and men’s basketball openings have been identified and presented to the board. The university has not named those candidates.
The Board of Regents is scheduled to meet on Aug. 28. Until then, Robinson remains at Jackson State and no official hire has been announced.
Robinson’s name first surfaced earlier this week when Harris reported that Crawford had presented Robinson for the opening. The latest reporting now identifies Robinson as Crawford’s recommendation for the position, making the upcoming board vote the next major step in the process.
Robinson brings a proven SWAC track record
Robinson has spent much of his administrative career inside the SWAC and has built a reputation as one of the conference’s most successful athletic directors.
He returned to Jackson State in 2018 after serving five years as athletic director at Prairie View A&M. At Jackson State, Robinson has overseen a period of significant growth and national visibility.
His most prominent move came in 2020 when he hired Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders as head football coach. Sanders had no previous college coaching experience, but the gamble paid off quickly. Jackson State won back-to-back SWAC championships under Sanders and became one of the most visible programs in HBCU football. His successor, T.C. Taylor, led Jackson State to a SWAC title and win in the Celebration Bowl.
Robinson also hired Tomekia Reed to lead the women’s basketball program. Reed built JSU into the dominant women’s program in the conference, winning multiple regular-season and tournament titles before leaving for Charlotte.
Those moves, along with facility improvements, sponsorship growth and expanded national exposure, have helped make Jackson State one of the most recognizable athletic departments among HBCUs.
Another opportunity to return to Texas
Texas Southern would also represent a return to familiar territory.
Robinson previously served as Prairie View A&M’s athletic director from 2013 to 2018 and still has ties to the Houston area. This also is not the first time Robinson has been linked to a return to Texas.
In 2023, Prairie View A&M pursued Robinson for its vacant athletic director position. HBCU Gameday reported at the time that the two sides had serious discussions and were nearing a deal before Robinson ultimately decided to remain at Jackson State.
Prairie View eventually hired Anton Goff.
Three years later, Robinson is once again being connected to a SWAC program in Texas. This time its one located in Houston and dealing with significant transition throughout its athletic department.
Texas Southern has operated with Dr. Paula Jackson as interim AD since Kevin Granger left the position in 2025.
The school is also in the process of hiring a men’s basketball coach. Seton Hall assistant Corey Lowery reportedly has recommended for that position as well. Both hires would require approval from the Board of Regents.
Aug. 28 becomes the date to watch
Texas Southern has experienced considerable administrative movement in recent years, while also dealing with stadium questions, facility needs and broader institutional financial concerns.
That makes the athletic director hire especially important.
Robinson would bring experience in the SWAC, familiarity with Texas and a track record of making high-profile coaching hires and growing HBCU athletic brands.
But for now, he remains Jackson State’s athletic director.
The next major development is expected Aug. 28, when the Texas Southern Board of Regents considers Crawford’s recommendations.
If approved, the move would send shockwaves through the SWAC. Moving the most accomplished athletic administrator from one of the SWAC’s strongest brands to a Texas Southern program looking for stability and a new direction.