Green Jay Athletics at Jackson State under leadership of new director

In charge of all things Green Jay Athletics, Jackson State Community College welcomed its new Director of Athletics on Tuesday, Dr. Kevin Lynum.

With 14 years of coaching experience, Lynum says his vision is clear: "to make the Jackson State name resonate across households throughout West Tennessee."

In 2016, he got his first opportunity to be a Division 1 women's basketball coach. His coaching tenure has revolved around women's basketball, where in the last two consecutive years, his Norfolk State University team made it to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament.

With a coaching reach extending across the midwest and southeastern United States including Kansas, Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia, Lynum is excited to see what Tennessee has in store for him.

Before the Florida native got his start in coaching, he served as a Broadcast NCO (paratrooper) in the U.S. Army for eight years while coaching high school basketball in North Carolina.

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He says the rich history of JSCC and his aligned goals with its President Dr. Carol Rothstein are what attracted him to the job.

"When I saw these things and the trend, if you will, of Jackson State and where it's going, that was something that I wanted to be a part of," he said.

Branding deals with major athletic companies, facility renovations, and program expansion are among his top priorities. JSCC currently offers men's and women's basketball, softball, and baseball, with plans to expand under Lynum’s leadership.

"We look to grow our athletics programs, I would say, in the immediate future," Lynum said. "We're going to expand on sports, we're going to grow sports, and we're excited about it. We feel like we have phenomenal accommodations and facilities here at Jackson State to be able to house different sports and we're ready to take that on."

Striving to be a good community partner, he also plans to offer recruiting camps for high school students, toy drives around the holidays, and participation in community beautification projects.

“JSCC Athletics will not fall short in our service to our community,” he said.

Through fostering a culture of student-athletes through the “rings and degrees” mentality, he has a goal of placing several athletes on the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) All-American list every year.

Excited for the work and the journey ahead, Lynum is ready to put his best foot forward and bring the vision to life.

"Every time I step outside I'm going to a walking bulletin board for Jackson State Athletics," he said.

Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here

This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Green Jay Athletics at Jackson State under leadership of new director