Campbell University has named Corey Jenkins as its new director of athletics Thursday. Jenkins, a veteran collegiate athletics administrator with nearly two decades of experience, joins Campbell following an eight-year stint at the University of South Dakota, where he was recently promoted to deputy athletic director and chief operating officer.
“Hiring Corey Jenkins as our new AD is a huge addition to my leadership team and it is an absolute win for Campbell University,” shared Campbell President Dr. William M. Downs. “Corey’s pathway from the University of Georgia, to Florida State, to Wake Forest, to South Dakota and now to Campbell equips him with precisely the experience we need to strengthen our programs and to renew a culture of championship excellence at our institution.”
Jenkins, who was promoted as South Dakota’s deputy athletic director and chief operating officer in June, called his new role at Campbell “both humbling and an unbelievable blessing.”
“I want to thank President Downs for his leadership and clear vision for the future of Campbell Athletics and the University as a whole. His passion and belief in what is possible at Campbell made it an easy decision to join the faculty, staff, coaches and students who make Campbell such a special place,” he said. “Campbell has a proud history of championship-level success and developing student-athletes into leaders who leave Buies Creek prepared to excel in the next phases of their lives. It is an honor to serve those student-athletes, and my family and I cannot wait to immerse ourselves in the University and the entire Harnett County community. Roll Humps!”
Jenkins brings extensive experience overseeing the day-to-day operations of Division I athletics departments, with a background spanning revenue generation, fundraising, facilities and capital projects, external relations, event management, personnel, NIL operations and sport administration. His promotion at South Dakota in June came after serving for two years as deputy athletic director and, before that, five years as the department’s senior associate athletic director for facilities and operations. In 2023, he served a semester as the program’s interim director of athletics.
Prior to his leadership roles at South Dakota, he spent 11 years at Wake Forest University, where he advanced through several positions in event management, facilities and operations. As assistant athletic director for events, facilities and operations, he oversaw event management and event operations and was responsible for the daily operations of the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, while also serving as football game manager and working on athletic facilities, championship events and emergency management.
“Returning to North Carolina after previously spending 11 years at Wake Forest University is very exciting for me and my family, and it certainly played a major role in our decision to come to Campbell,” Jenkins said. “North Carolina is a special place for our family. It’s where I met my wife, and where our oldest son was born. When we arrived in Raleigh and made our way to campus for the interview, we immediately felt like we had never left. Returning to a state that means so much to our family truly feels like coming home, and we could not be more excited to begin this next chapter at Campbell University.”