LeMoyne-Owen College has appointed Roderick Smothers Jr., an experienced HBCU athletic administrator as the new Director of Athletics effective July 1. Smothers Jr. will spearhead a new era for LOC athletics and advance recruitment, operations, and athletic performance throughout the Division II program.
Roderick Smothers Jr.
Smothers Jr. brings a strategic vision to advance the college’s athletics in recruitment, structural improvements, institutional growth, staffing, and enhancing the student-athlete experience.
“I am a strong advocate for HBCUs and amplifying the need to inspire the next generation of athletic administrators,” said Smothers Jr. “I look forward to working alongside the staff in our collective mission to advance athletics and ensure our student-athletes are on the path to becoming the next leaders.”
Smothers Jr., from Vidalia, Louisiana, joins LeMoyne-Owen College with approximately eight years of leading HBCU athletic departments across the country. He previously served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Ticketing at Alabama A&M University for the past three years.
Prior, he led the Philander Smith University athletics department from 2020-2023 and was elected President of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Under his leadership, Philander Smith University secured five championships, and two Commissioner’s Cups, including the 2023 Thomas Howell Cup, the GCAC’s all-sports award which is awarded annually to the institution that obtains the highest number of points in competition across all men’s and women’s sports sponsored by the GCAC and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
In addition, he was elected President of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, where he managed the organization’s affairs and represented the conference as a board member for the Athletic Director’s Association (ADA).
“At LeMoyne-Owen College, we are dedicated to preparing students for driving success, leadership, and impact in their fields,” said Dr. Christopher B. Davis, President of LeMoyne-Owen College. “As LOC continues to build tremendous momentum, appointing Roderick Smothers Jr. as our Director of Athletics ignites a new era for athletics and joins our collective mission for advancing opportunities and championship contention for our institution.”