Charles McClelland, a long-serving athletic executive at two Texas Southwestern Athletic Conference institutions, was today named commissioner of the historically black Division I conference.
Dr. McClelland, a Prairie View A&M University alumnus, will take the helm of the conference after 10 years as vice-president of Intercollegiate Athletics at Texas Southern University and seven as athletic director at his alma mater.
McClelland has served the past 17 plus years at the helm of two SWAC member institutions—Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics at Texas Southern University since April of 2008 and the prior seven years as Athletics Director at Prairie View A&M University.
Dr. McClelland will succeed Duer Sharp, who resigned last December following reports of an NCAA review into potential financial mismanagement at the conference office.
“As a young person growing up in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, it’s a good feeling to be named commissioner,” Dr. McClelland said in a release. “To have an opportunity to lead this conference in this era is overwhelming. I’ve been here at TSU [Texas Southern University] for 10 years and met a lot of friends. TSU is like family. I’m sad to close that chapter, but I’m excited to open a new one.”
“I want to publicly thank Dr. McClelland for his hard work and many accomplishments at TSU,” said TSU President Dr. Austin A. Lane. “I served on the the SWAC commissioner hiring committee, so this was naturally a tough decision. We hate to lose him, but he is really committed to taking the SWAC to the next level. We wish him nothing but success in his new role.”
Texas Southern announced assistant athletic director Kevin Granger as interim athletic director.
