by Sharelle B. McNair
June 6, 2025
With Davis’ more than 25 years of experience in collegiate athletics, television, and entertainment, the role is the first ever created position at the Washington, D.C. based HBCU.
Howard University is taking its athletics department to new heights by naming Athletics Director Kery Davis as the first-ever Vice President of Athletics, HBCU Game Day reported.
With Davis’ more than 25 years of experience in collegiate athletics, television, and entertainment, the role is the first-ever created position at the Washington, D.C.-based HBCU. He has been a member of the Bison family since 2015, and as the Athletics Director, Davis has made tremendous strides in ensuring the school makes its mark in national sports highlights.
Howard’s sports teams have won national, conference, and regular season titles under Davis’ leadership, including its basketball team’s first NCAA win and six consecutive volleyball championships and NCAA appearances. Other accomplishments include consecutive NCAA tournament appearances by the Bison men’s basketball team in 2023 and 2024, MEAC football championships in 2022 and 2023, as well as game-changing performances by the only swimming and diving teams within HBCUs.
The former HBO Sports executive also oversaw the launch of the university’s first-ever men’s and women’s Division I golf programs, made possible by a donation from four-time NBA champion Steph Curry in 2020.
In a statement from Davis, the new VP says he looks forward to building a championship climate at the home of the Bisons. “Howard University is an institution steeped in incomparable history with an amazing legacy of accomplished and loyal alumni, renowned faculty and some of the brightest students a person could ever meet,” Davis said, according to The Dig at Howard.
“I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to continue building a championship culture and ensuring that our student athletes have state-of-the-art facilities that will go far in helping them exceed their athletic goals.”
Creating a championship climate involves athletes maintaining their academic endeavors at a high standard. With that mindset, Davis managed the Athletics Department’s Academic Improvement Plan, which resulted in over 300 athletes being added to the Conference All-Academic teams list, with an overall department GPA of 3.34.
His work in sports leadership led to the Dartmouth College graduate being named the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) FCS Athletic Director of the Year in 2024, in addition to being recognized in BLACK ENTERPRISES’ “Most Powerful African Americans in Sports.”
RELATED CONTENT: Roy Ayers, Jazz-Funk Visionary And Soulful Voice Behind ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine,’ Dies At 84
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings