FAIRBORN — Wright State University President Susan Edwards in a statement announced that Joylynn Brown has been named Wright State’s new Director of Athletics.
Brown has served in an interim role since April 2024 after former AD Bob Grant retired on March 31.
“Joylynn has provided steady leadership and ensured a seamless transition in Raider Athletics,” Edwards said. “She brings a wealth of experience and a steadfast passion for the success of Wright State Athletics and its student-athletes.”
Brown, who is the first woman to be named to the role and just the fourth director of athletics in Wright State history, assumes the full-time role after serving a variety of roles on the athletics administration team since 2014, most recently as deputy director of athletics and senior woman administrator (SWA) before assuming the interim director of athletics title in April of this year.
“I have spent nearly my entire adult life at Wright State. It is my home and where I have developed and grown personally and professionally,” Brown said in a statement. “Leading this department is an incredible honor. After being involved in every aspect of the program, I am prepared to lead and put my own stamp on the Raiders. I am so thankful that Dr. Edwards and the Wright State administration has the belief in me to be the Director of Athletics. I want every student who leaves Wright State to feel valued and have a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves. By following the holistic model we have established and implementing more avenues for our student-athletes to be successful, I am confident we can achieve that. I am surrounded by a strong team of administrators, staff and coaches who are all in on creating an amazing experience in our department.”
“In the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, we must focus on what we can control and move forward while staying true to Wright State’s mission,” Brown added. “Our success has a positive impact on the university, just as the university’s growth and success directly benefits us. Collaborating with other departments on campus is an integral part of this growth. I will continue to cultivate the strong foundation that has been built.”
Brown has been associated with Raider Athletics for nearly three decades, first coming to campus as a student-athlete, later coaching the Raiders before assuming her administrative roles. Throughout her time on Wright State’s senior leadership team, Brown has been actively involved with all facets of the department, chairing all head coaching search committees since her arrival, including the appointment of new head men’s basketball coach Clint Sargent. She has played a role in each area of Raider Athletics during her tenure and has had direct oversight for seven different men’s and women’s Wright State sport programs as well as having been a secondary supervisor for men’s and women’s basketball nearly a decade.
Brown served as Wright State’s NCAA administrative designee in recent NCAA tournament appearances for men’s soccer, volleyball and both men’s and women’s basketball, with all four capturing their first NCAA victories in program history.
In the span of three months in the interim role, Brown: Immediately focused on facility improvements, including securing a $30K donation for upgrades and spearheading the installation of new turf at Alumni Field and Mulholland Field, benefiting both student-athletes and the general student population; Hosted the first-ever men’s and women’s basketball open summer practice event for season ticket holders; Collaborated with university administration and community leaders to host the Air Force Academy for a men’s basketball game on November 30, 2024 while also securing a $50K sponsorship for community events surrounding the game; and Secured a sponsorship agreement with Southern Ohio Brewing to create and sell a Wright State-themed beer.
Brown played volleyball for the Raiders from 1989-1992 and was an all-conference performer before later serving as an assistant coach (1996-1998) and then head coach (1998-2005) of the volleyball program. During her time as head coach, she was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year in 2001 when she was also selected as the AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year. Brown graduated from Wright State in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in communications studies with a concentration in English.
Prior to serving in the interim role, Brown served as deputy director of athletics where she was charged with supervising all aspects of Wright State’s day-to-day operations. In addition to her duties with the Raiders, Brown had served as the Vice Chair of the Horizon League’s Senior Woman Administrator advisory group since 2023.
