Texas Southern University has named two-time National Athletics Director of the Year Ashley Robinson as its new Vice President and Athletic Director, bringing an experienced HBCU athletics administrator back to Texas to lead the university’s intercollegiate athletics program.

Robinson joins Texas Southern after six years at Jackson State University, where he helped elevate the athletics department into a nationally recognized HBCU program while emphasizing both competitive success and academic achievement.

During his tenure at Jackson State, the athletics department won 19 championships and captured the C.D. Henry Award as the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s best all-around men’s sports program for the 2022-23 season.

Robinson was recognized as the National Athletics Director of the Year by the Black Student-Athlete Summit in 2023 and by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, sponsored by Cushman & Wakefield, in 2022.

His leadership also helped bring national attention to Jackson State athletics. The university was featured on 60 Minutes, hosted a live Good Morning America broadcast from campus and became the site of an ESPN College GameDay broadcast. The Jackson State appearance marked only the fourth time the program originated from an HBCU football game.

Academically, Jackson State student-athletes recorded a 3.101 collective GPA in fall 2022, while nearly 70 student-athletes graduated that year. Robinson previously guided the department to the SWAC Academic Success Award in 2019-20.

Robinson returns to Texas following a six-year tenure at Prairie View A&M University from 2013 to 2019. He initially served as Director of Athletics before being promoted to Vice President and Director of Athletics.

At Prairie View A&M, Robinson oversaw six conference championships and major athletics facility improvements, including a new football stadium and athletics administration complex, a track and field complex and a soccer field. The university also completed baseball and softball facility upgrades during his tenure.

The 2018 NCAA Academic Progress Rate report showed all 18 Prairie View A&M athletics teams exceeded the NCAA-mandated benchmark, with seven teams earning perfect scores.

Robinson's career in collegiate athletics administration began at Delaware State University before he returned to Mississippi Valley State University, his alma mater, where he worked in compliance. His career also includes positions with Jackson State, the Southwestern Athletic Conference and Prairie View A&M.

He served as SWAC Assistant Commissioner for Compliance, Assistant Vice President of Athletics Compliance and Academic Advising at Prairie View A&M, and Director of Athletics at Mississippi Valley State before taking over the Prairie View A&M athletics program in 2013.

A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Robinson was a four-year letterman and standout point guard at Mississippi Valley State. He remains the school's single-season and career assists record-holder and was named MVSU Athlete of the Year in 2002. He was inducted into the Mississippi Valley State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 and the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2025.

Robinson earned a bachelor's degree from Mississippi Valley State University and a master's degree from the United States Sports Academy.

He also became the first African American to serve as president of the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association. Robinson is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

At Texas Southern, Robinson will oversee the university's athletics department with a focus on student-athlete development, competitive achievement, academic outcomes and the overall experience of competing as a Tiger.