After 33 years, Dr. James Coleman has stepped down as the athletic director at Tougaloo College.
The Jackson native’s ties to Tougaloo began with his time as a two-sport athlete from 1957-1961 (football & basketball), and prior to serving as the AD, Coleman was the sports information director, head men’s basketball coach and a professor of education.
Coleman was recently inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame.
Along with being the athletic director at Tougaloo, Dr. Coleman served on the NAIA Athletic Directors Association Board as well as a member of the National Athletic Directors Association (NACDA). Dr. Coleman was named the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Athletic Director of the Year in 2012 and 2018.
“The contributions and accomplishments of Dr. Coleman over his long-standing tenure in intercollegiate athletics are immense. His leadership and dedication has extended beyond Tougaloo College, the GCAC and the NAIA, as Dr. Coleman is truly a trailblazer in intercollegiate athletics,” Tougaloo College said in a news release.
Associate athletic director Keith Barnes, Sr. has taken over following Coleman’s retirement.
