UNDER THE BANNER
What's Going On In and Around Black College Sports
CHANGE AT THE TOP: Hampton University Athletics Director Malcolm "Zeke" Avery is stepping down from his position to return to teaching, effective June 30 and Head Football Coach Joe Taylor will take his place on an interim basis.
Hampton President William R. Harvey made the announce-ment of Taylor's appointment Friday. While serving as interim athletics director, Taylor will also continue as head football coach a position he has held for 13 years.
"After 36 years in education, 20 in Norfolk Public Schools and 16 as coach and administrator at Hampton, I am stepping down as athletics director to go back to what I enjoy best, teaching," said Avery earlier in the week. Avery arrived at Hampton as head men's basketball coach in 1987 and spent eight seasons at the helm of the Pirate program compiling a mark of 138-82 (.627).
"I am extremely proud that during my tenure as basketball coach we won the CIAA and as athletics director the Pirates have captured five all sports trophies, two for men's sports and three for women's," Avery said.
Avery led the Pirates to the 1991 CIAA Tournament Championship. For his efforts that season he was honored as the CIAA Coach of the Year. At the conclusion of his coaching career, Avery made the transition to administration where he spent the next six years as the Assistant Director of Athletics/Compliance Coordinator.
In his three years overseeing Pirate athletics since the departure of Dennis Thomas to become the commissioner of the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference, Avery's leadership helped guide Hampton to 15 conference titles and a sweep of the 2003 and 2004 Talmadge Layman Hill and Mary McLeod Bethune Awards given to the top men's and women's athletic program in the MEAC.
Taylor was appointed assistant athletics director in January.
"Working at Hampton has afforded us many successes," said Taylor, who is the winningest coach in Hampton football history. "I am honored that the administration has this much confidence in me. We have great coaches, outstanding student athletes, and dedicated faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University. I look forward to working with all of them to continue the rich athletics tradition at Hampton."
The University also announced the promotion of Keshia Campbell to the position of associate athletic director for administration and senior women's administrator.
© 2005 Azeez Communications, Inc.