Jackson State athletic director Ashley Robinson is leaving for another SWAC school.
The university announced Wednesday that Robinson had accepted the position as vice president and director of athletics at Texas Southern. Robinson held the same position at Jackson State, where he led the Tigers to modern highs, including HBCU national championships in football and women’s tennis.
“Under Ashley’s leadership, Jackson State Athletics achieved competitive and academic success and gained national visibility,” Jackson State President Denise Jones-Gregory said in a statement. “From multiple conference championships to the 2025-26 Dr. James Frank Commissioner’s Cup, the results speak for themselves.
“As Mississippi’s most decorated athletic director, he has built on tradition and blazed new trails. We are grateful for his service, his leadership, and the opportunities that he has helped create for our student-athletes. We wish Ashley and his family continued success in this next chapter.”
Robinson won dozens of conference championships at Jackson State, including in football, women’s basketball, softball, women’s tennis, women’s volleyball, women’s cross country, men’s cross country, and men’s and women’s track and field.
What he may be remembered most for was his ability to sell the Jackson State product, especially to former athletics stars who decided to get into coaching.
Robinson was crucial in bringing Deion Sanders to Jackson from September 2020 through December 2022, with the Pro Football Hall of Famer not only winning back-to-back SWAC titles but also bringing a new level of visibility to the school. Press coverage was at an all-time high, and celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Ric Flair, and Keyshia Cole publicly supported the program.
Robinson even segued Sanders’ departure for Colorado into more success by promoting T.C. Taylor to head football coach. In 2024, Taylor did something Sanders was not able to – win the HBCU national championship.
Robinson also hired former NBA All-Star Mo Williams to lead the men’s basketball program. Williams recently resigned to become an assistant at Kentucky.
In the announcement, Robinson thanked the Jackson State community for its continued support and said, “This city and this university will always hold a special place in my heart.”
“Jackson State University gave me the opportunity to come home, serve the people of this great institution, and return to my roots where it all started,” Robinson said. “Words cannot begin to express my gratitude to the student-athletes, coaches, and staff for believing in the vision and helping us accomplish so much over the last eight years.”
READ MORE: Ashley Robinson inducted into SWAC Hall of Fame
“Together, we grew the program, won 32 conference championships and two national championships, and made Jackson State Athletics ‘Thee Standard,’” he continued. “We could not have accomplished this without the support of our alumni, fans, and the university community.”
Jackson State Associate Vice President and Senior Woman Administrator Alyse Wells-Kilbert has been selected to serve as interim athletic director, pending approval from the Mississippi Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning. Wells has nearly 30 years of experience in athletics administration and coaching.
