A veteran of more than 20 years of collegiate athletic administration, primarily in compliance, D’Wayne Robinson joined Alabama A&M as Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and head men’s golf coach in 2019.
ALABAMA A&M (2019-PRESENT, SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS FOR COMPLIANCE, HEAD MEN’S GOLF COACH)
Since coming to Huntsville, Robinson has overseen the compliance efforts for the Department’s 16 NCAA Division I sports and more than 300 student-athletes as well as assisting with the oversight of each program.
Additionally, he ensures adherence to both NCAA policies and procedures as well as AAMU rules and regulations. Robinson also manages external relationships and working relationships with vendors and community stakeholders.
On the links, he serves as coach of the Bulldogs’ men’s golf program, building a program back to its former glory. To that end he recruits and oversees a roster of approximately 8-10 student-athletes that compete in more than 10 tournaments throughout the year, including the Alabama A&M Golf Classic.
COPPIN STATE (2017-19, SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS FOR STUDENT-ATHLETE SUPPORT SERVICES)
Prior to joining Bulldog Nation, Robinson spent two years at Coppin State in Baltimore, Maryland serving as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Support Services.
While the primary duties in that role mirrored A&M, he also delivered in key areas, including securing a $100,000 grant from the NCAA to student support initiatives that directly impacted student-athlete retention. He also successfully guided the NCAA Data Review for student-athlete certification and developed a comprehensive research tool that aided strategic decisions concerning recruitment, retention and graduation.
On top of that, he helped increase ticket sales by 20-percent and was chosen to serve on the University’s Student Success Council.
FLORIDA A&M (2006-08, 2014-17, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR ATHLETIC COMPLIANCE, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES)
Over the course of five years and two different stints, Robinson would serve the Rattlers in four different capacities, including as Interim Director of Athletics.
His tenure in Tallahassee began as Associate Director of Athletics for Academic Support Services from 2006-08, a role that would see him oversee and develop “Progress to Degree” and eligibility procedures for a 17-sport athletics department.
That would include directly assisting with the NCAA certification of all student-athletes and earning the 2007 National Association of Athletic Directors for Development (NAADD) Award for FAMU’s mentoring initiative program.
He also served as an NCAA peer reviewer, the Department’s liaison with the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) for league championships and was appointed to the Title IX Gender Equity Committee by University leadership.
Fast forward six years to 2014 and Robinson would hold the position of Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance for a year before being asked to serve as Interim Director of Athletics, a role that spanned the 2015-16 campaign.
The latter would see him implement several key initiatives geared to reducing or eliminating NCAA violations, including developing the first comprehensive NCAA Compliance Manual for the Department, restructuring the Compliance Office to include a new position overseeing financial aid and reorganizing the certification of eligibility process.
During this time he also oversaw the successful hiring of the program’s head football coach and administrative team while assuming responsibility for the transition of key department staff to better serve the Department.
Robinson played a key role in the acquisition of a $675,000 grant from the NCAA for Athletic Academic Support and assisted with the first-ever Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Legacy Weekend Celebration in Boston, Massachusetts. That would feature a partnership with the City of Boston, Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and the Boston Area Church League that resulted in more than $200,000 of marketing and development opportunities for the Department.
That would not be the only revenue generation during his time leading FAMU Athletics as he also worked with other schools to build the Rattlers’ tentative football schedule, an effort that brought about more than $3 million in revenue over the following four years.
Upon the hiring of the program’s next full-time Director of Athletics, Robinson was promoted to Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance, a position he held in 2016-17 before moving to Coppin State.
CLARK ATLANTA (2010-13, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS FOR EXTERNAL OPERATIONS AND COMPLIANCE)
Before embarking on seven straight years at the Division I level, Robinson served DII member Clark Atlanta University for three years in the role of Associate AD for External Operations and Compliance.
While there he oversaw the compliance efforts for a 12-sport program and assisted with he management of a $2.5 million athletics budget. Heavily involved in the marketing, scheduling and sponsorship aspects of the program, he negotiated game contracts and sponsorship deals in excess of $200,000 and developed a marketing strategy that netted a 20-percent increase in facility revenue. The latter resulted in another $200,000 for the Department.
Robinson collaborated with the Department of Institutional Advancement to increase the program’s visibility with the CAU Awareness Campaign also implemented and coordinated the rollout of the web-based student performance monitoring software “Grades First”, in conjunction with the Academic Support Services.
That new technology proved critical in the early detection of academically at-risk student-athletes, allowing the institution to intervene and develop plans for those individuals to succeed in the classroom.
ALABAMA STATE (2009-10, ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR INTERNAL OPERATIONS AND COMPLIANCE)
In his one season with the Hornets, Robinson aided in providing administrative direction and oversight of 17 sports, high level facilities and activities while also overseeing ASU’s compliance efforts.
He helped oversee a $5.5 million operating budget and successfully guided the Department through a successful recertification with the NCAA. Additionally, Robinson implemented a comprehensive compliance program that allowed all 17 programs to meet the NCAA’s Academic Progress Report thresholds and he was also named to the 2009 NCAA Peer Review Team for Collegiate NCAA Certifications.
CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY (2008-09, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC COMPLIANCE/DIRECTOR OF STUDENT RETENTION SERVICES)
While at Division II Cheyney, Robinson was responsible for all compliance efforts for a 13-sport program, developing a Compliance Policy and Procedures Manual, and directly assisted with the Department’s NCAA Blueprint Review.
Additionally, he was a valued member of the search committee’s for the program’s next head women’s basketball coach (Chair) and football coach (Co-Chair) and was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council and Task Force for Recruitment and Retention.
FLORIDA STATE (2003-06, ATHLETIC ACADEMIC SUPPORT COUNSELOR/FOOTBALL OPERATIONS AND INSTRUCTOR)
Robinson served several roles during his time with the Seminoles, serving as an instructor as well as the Athletic Academic Support Counselor for Football Operations.
He assisted in the management of a comprehensive academic program geared towards student-athletes’ earning a degree and also counselled these individuals as well as academically at-risk student-athletes. He would also conduct a summer bridge program designed to facilitate the academic transition of incoming student-athletes and also taught a college life skills course to incoming freshman.
During his time in Tallahassee, Robinson was chosen as commencement speaker for the 2005 graduating class of the NCAA Leadership Institute, a ceremony held the governing body’s headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana.
ALCORN STATE (2000-03, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS FOR INTERNAL OPERATIONS)
As the Assistant Director of Athletics for Internal Operations, Robinson was responsible for the management of budget and personnel in areas of athletic programming and support and oversaw day-to-day operations and maintenance of six athletic facilities.
During his time in Lorman, Mississippi he developed a comprehensive facilities management plan and implemented Peer Involvement Programs (PIP), the latter assisting in the development of Braves’ student-athletes. He also assisted in the coordination and management of fundraising and development projects that resulted in $150,000 being raised to aid the Department.
CORPORATE EXPERIENCE: FIRST STEPS CONSULTING GROUP (2013-14, PRESIDENT)
Robinson’s one venture outside of higher education in the past 22 years came from 2013-14 when he founded and served as president of the First Steps Consulting Group.
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, that organization provided instruction, counseling and mentoring to high school and amateur prospective student-athletes that had goals of playing collegiately.
Focusing specifically on the areas of academic standards, recruiting, collegiate funding and NCAA requirements and regulations, Robinson presented to more than 100 prospective student-athletes in the Quitman County School District and assisted the Coahoma County School District in developing an appropriate instruction plan to aid their students in achieving their college playing ambitions.
EDUCATION
A 1989 graduate of Tougaloo College, Robinson holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and earned his Master’s in Education from Alcorn State in 2003. Additionally, he took courses in Higher Education Administration while at Florida State from 2004-05 and is a graduate of the NCAA Leadership Institute.
