Wright State removed the interim tag and named Joylynn Brown as the university’s next director of athletics on Tuesday.
Brown is the first woman to become Wright State’s athletics director and the fourth AD in university history.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude,” Brown posted Tuesday on X. “To get to lead the place I love so much is a dream. Let’s GOOOOOOO! #allin.”
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Brown served in an interim role since April upon former athletic director Bob Grant’s retirement. Grant held the role since 2008.
“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. 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,” Brown stated in a release. “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. 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. It’s a great time to be a Raider!”
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A former Raider student-athlete, Brown played volleyball at Wright State from 1989-1992 and later coached as an assistant from 1996-98 and as head coach from 1998-2005. She earned all-conference honors as a player and was selected Horizon League Coach of the Year and as the American Volleyball Coaches Association Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2001. Brown graduated from Wright State in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in communications studies with a concentration in English.
Brown most recently served as Wright State’s deputy director of athletics and senior woman administrator prior to taking over in the interim as athletics director. As deputy director of athletics, Brown was responsible for “supervising all aspects of Wright State’s day-to-day operations,” and she also served as the Vice Chair of the Horizon League’s Senior Woman Administrator advisory group since 2023.
“Joylynn has provided steady leadership and ensured a seamless transition in Raider Athletics,” Wright State University President Susan Edwards stated in a release. “She brings a wealth of experience and a steadfast passion for the success of Wright State Athletics and its student-athletes.”
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Brown’s involvement in the athletic department across her three decades of experience at Wright State also included chairing all head coaching search committees since her arrival, according to a release. She “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.”
Since taking over as interim athletics director, several of Brown’s accomplishments focus on facility improvements, according to a release, including “securing a $30K donation for upgrades and spearheading the installation of new turf at Alumni Field and Mulholland Field,” which are the homes of Raiders soccer and some intramural sports.
“The first thing you observe with Joylynn is her fierce support and commitment to student-athletes,” Horizon League Commissioner Julie Roe Lach stated in a release. “As a former student-athlete, award-winning coach and tireless administrator who has made a major impact during every step of her journey, she is an outstanding choice to lead the Raiders. She is Wright State University personified and embodies the values of the Horizon League. Congratulations to President Edwards on this selection — the Horizon League team looks forward to advancing Wright State and #OurHorizon with Joylynn in this critical leadership role!”
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