Campbell University has named Corey Jenkins as its new director of athletics, President William M. Downs announced today. Jenkins, a veteran collegiate athletics administrator with nearly two decades of experience, joins Campbell following an eight-year stint at the University of South Dakota, where he was recently promoted to deputy athletic director and chief operating officer.
“Hiring Corey Jenkins as our new AD is a huge addition to my leadership team and it is an absolute win for Campbell University,” shared President Dr. William M. Downs. “Corey’s pathway from the University of Georgia, to Florida State, to Wake Forest, to South Dakota and now to Campbell equips him with precisely the experience we need to strengthen our programs and to renew a culture of championship excellence at our institution.”
Jenkins, who was promoted as South Dakota’s deputy athletic director and chief operating officer in June, called his new role at Campbell “both humbling and an unbelievable blessing.”
“I want to thank President Downs for his leadership and clear vision for the future of Campbell Athletics and the University as a whole. His passion and belief in what is possible at Campbell made it an easy decision to join the faculty, staff, coaches and students who make Campbell such a special place,” he said. “Campbell has a proud history of championship-level success and developing student-athletes into leaders who leave Buies Creek prepared to excel in the next phases of their lives. It is an honor to serve those student-athletes, and my family and I cannot wait to immerse ourselves in the University and the entire Harnett County community. Roll Humps!”
Jenkins brings extensive experience overseeing the day-to-day operations of Division I athletics departments, with a background spanning revenue generation, fundraising, facilities and capital projects, external relations, event management, personnel, NIL operations and sport administration. His promotion at South Dakota in June came after serving for two years as deputy athletic director and, before that, five years as the department’s senior associate athletic director for facilities and operations. In 2023, he served a semester as the program’s interim director of athletics.
In his most recent role at South Dakota, Jenkins oversaw development, marketing, video, communications, ticket operations, event management and facilities, while serving as sport administrator for football, men’s basketball and triathlon. He also led senior staff meetings, oversaw 48 full-time staff members and 17 graduate assistants and worked with department leadership on fundraising, ticket sales, sponsorships, facility rentals and other revenue-generating initiatives.
Under Jenkins, South Dakota’s Calling All Coyotes fundraising auction established department records in three consecutive years, increasing from $603,854 in 2024 to $821,255 in 2025 and $900,359 in 2026. The department also surpassed its ticket-revenue goals in the past three academic years. Jenkins also has played a significant role in South Dakota’s capital projects and facility planning, serving as the department’s primary contact for capital projects and the facility master plan. His work has included involvement in a $1.5 million naming-rights gift, department-wide external restructuring, head-coaching searches and institutional NIL operations.
On the field, South Dakota has established itself as one of the Summit League’s most successful and consistently competitive athletics programs, earning conference championships across multiple sports while producing sustained success in volleyball, women’s basketball, track and field and swimming and diving. The Coyotes have also emerged as a national force in football, winning their first Missouri Valley Football Conference championship in 2024 and advancing to the FCS semifinals that season (and the quarterfinals in 2025).
“My time at the University of South Dakota has been invaluable,” Jenkins said. “There is no doubt that my preparedness to serve Campbell University stems from the experiences and opportunities I have had over the last eight years. During my time as interim athletic director and deputy AD/COO, I worked alongside our athletic director, coaches and staff to position the institution for success in an ever-changing environment. I will bring that experience of adapting, overcoming and capitalizing on opportunities, with a focus on advancing Campbell’s mission and providing the best possible experience for our student-athletes.”
Jenkins is no stranger to North Carolina. Prior to his leadership roles at South Dakota, he spent 11 years at Wake Forest University, where he advanced through several positions in event management, facilities and operations. As assistant athletic director for events, facilities and operations, he oversaw event management and event operations and was responsible for the daily operations of the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, while also serving as football game manager and working on athletic facilities, championship events and emergency management.
His career at Wake Forest began in 2007 as an assistant director of event management and facilities. During his time there, Jenkins was involved in numerous capital projects, including improvements to athletic facilities, and served in leadership roles for NCAA and ACC championship events.
“Returning to North Carolina after previously spending 11 years at Wake Forest University is very exciting for me and my family, and it certainly played a major role in our decision to come to Campbell,” Jenkins said. “North Carolina is a special place for our family. It’s where I met my wife, and where our oldest son was born. When we arrived in Raleigh and made our way to campus for the interview, we immediately felt like we had never left. Returning to a state that means so much to our family truly feels like coming home, and we could not be more excited to begin this next chapter at Campbell University.”
As director of athletics, Jenkins will oversee Campbell’s athletics program and its student-athletes, coaches and staff. Campbell Athletics has enjoyed considerable success since its move from the Big South Conference (where it won 13 league titles in 2021-22) to the Coastal Athletic Association in 2023. Campbell Volleyball won its first CAA championship in 2025, and Campbell Baseball finished as the top seed in the CAA tournament after piling up 39 wins in 2026. Softball won a 2024 CAA regular season title, and the women’s basketball program reached the CAA Championship game in 2025 and earned a WNIT bid that season, winning a first-round game.
Campbell Athletics is celebrating its 50th season as a member of NCAA Division I in 2026-27. Eighteen Fighting Camel programs have advanced to NCAA Championship competition through the years. Four Campbell alumni currently play for Major League Baseball teams, two golfers are members of the PGA Tour, and several additional alumni compete in other professional leagues across multiple sports.
“My first time stepping onto the Campbell campus was during the interview process, and the beauty of the campus and the closeness of the community were immediately evident,” Jenkins said. “I was continually impressed by everyone I met, and it became clear that Campbell is grounded in faith, purpose and a genuine commitment to serving others. There was an energy on campus that immediately drew my wife and me in, and we both felt strongly that God was leading us to Campbell.”
Downs said Jenkins’ hire comes as the University enters “a new and exciting era of Campbell Athletics.”
“Corey Jenkins impressed me on so many levels during the selection process, but what distinguished him in such a profound fashion is that he doesn’t just want to be an AD, he wants to be Campbell’s AD,” Downs said. “That kind of authenticity matters in a community like ours, and I believe our friends and supporters will rally to it. I can’t wait for Camel Nation to meet and get to know the Jenkins family … they’re phenomenal. Get ready for some big, big days ahead for Campbell University.”
A native of Athens, Georgia, Jenkins earned a bachelor’s degree in sport studies with a minor in sociology from the University of Georgia in 2005 and a master’s degree in physical education from Florida State University in 2007. He has been a member of the Collegiate Event and Facility Management Association since 2008 and served as the organization’s sponsorship committee chair from 2022-24. Jenkins and his wife, Faith, have three children, Shepard, Everest, and Lochlan.
“Corey is first and foremost committed to enhancing the student-athlete experience — he understands that’s why we’re here,” Downs added. “He’s also bursting with ideas and energy to transform our fan and gameday experience. Corey is fundamentally biased in favor of expanding resources rather than just managing recurring cuts to a fixed budget, and we all know how important that is in this new age of collegiate athletics.
“He will, moreover, be focused on elevating the competitiveness of all our Fighting Camel teams, because he shares our passion for winning — and winning often. He will do it the right way, with the right people, advancing Campbell values while introducing the world to more of what makes our school so special.”