Shaw University has announced two changes in its Athletic Department. Jacques Curtis has been named Athletic Director and Sherri Filling-ham has been tabbed Sports Information Director.

Curtis had been women's basketball coach for nine years while Fillingham had been working at the University in another capacity for the past 18 months.

"Athletics has played an important role in developing disciplinary skills among our young men and women, and we are excited about what Coach Curtis brings to the table," said Attorney Willie E. Gary, who serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Shaw. "We are making a shift in our athletic program which will position us to achieve our long-term goals of enrollment growth, improved student retention and graduation rates, and an overall better quality of our campus life at Shaw."

Curtis succeeds Al Carter who was reassigned to another position at Shaw.

During his tenure as a head coach, Curtis' teams accumulated a 194-82 record and won four consecutive CIAA titles (2003 to 2006), as well as the 2008 title.

Academically, the Lady Bears have had a cumulative GPA of over 3.00 and have consistently placed over half the team on the Shaw Honor Roll or on the conference all-academic team.

"The athletic program exists to create a rallying point for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community, while still enhancing educational values. It is my goal to make sure that Shaw University is able to successfully accomplish this by engaging our student athletes," said Curtis.

Curtis was named coach of the Lady Bears in 2000. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach at Shaw, before being named the head men's basketball coach of his alma mater, Savannah State University in 1998, amassing a 20-34 record in two seasons. He graduated from Savannah State with a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering Technology, and went on to earn a master's degree in Information Science from N. C. Central University.

Fillingham holds a bachelor's degree in journalism with a concentration in public relations from Ohio University, where she also earned a master's degree in Sports Administration and Facilities Management.

FAMILIAR ROLE FOR SQUARE:

President George E. Ross has announced the appointment of Brenda T. Square as the Interim Director of Athletics at Alcorn State University, effective June 1, 2009. She previously served as Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant to the President, where she assisted in the management and coordination of Public Relations, Development and Fundraising, Governmental Relations, IHL Board affairs and any other duties assigned.

Square was the first woman Director of Athletics in the history of Clark Atlanta University. Prior to coming to Atlanta, she was recognized as the first woman Interim Director of Athletics at Southern University, where she simultaneously held positions as Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).

She has been an educator for a number of years, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in health and physical education. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance from Southern, and a Master's of Arts in Education and Public Health from the University of Michigan, where she also did further study.

© 2009 Azeez Communications, Inc.

Return to Front Page