Corey Jenkins was named Campbell University Director of Athletics in October 2026. He comes to Buies Creek with nearly two decades of experience, following an eight-year stint at the University of South Dakota.
Jenkins was promoted to Deputy AD & Chief Operating Officer of USD Athletics in June 2026 after joining the University of South Dakota athletic department as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations in July 2018. He was promoted to Deputy Athletic Director in January 2024 after serving as the Interim Athletic Director for the Fall 2023 semester.
“I want to thank President Downs for his leadership and clear vision for the future of Campbell Athletics and the University as a whole,” said Jenkins. “His passion and belief in what is possible at Campbell made it an easy decision to join the faculty, staff, coaches and students who make Campbell such a special place. Campbell has a proud history of championship-level success and developing student athletes into leaders who leave Buies Creek prepared to excel in the next phases of their lives. It is an honor to serve those student athletes, and my family and I cannot wait to immerse ourselves in the University and the entire Harnett County community. Roll Humps!”
Jenkins brings extensive experience overseeing the day-to-day operations of Division I athletics departments, with a background spanning revenue generation, fundraising, facilities and capital projects, external relations, event management, personnel, NIL operations and sport administration.
Jenkins oversaw development, marketing, video, communications, ticket operations, event management and facilities, while serving as sport administrator for football, men’s basketball and triathlon at USD. He also led senior staff meetings, oversaw 48 full-time staff members and 17 graduate assistants and worked with department leadership on fundraising, ticket sales, sponsorships, facility rentals and other revenue-generating initiatives.
He also played a significant role in South Dakota's capital projects and facility planning, serving as the department's primary contact for capital projects and the facility master plan. His work has included involvement in a $1.5 million naming-rights gift, department-wide external restructuring, head-coaching searches and institutional NIL operations.
Prior to his leadership roles at South Dakota, Jenkins spent 11 years at Wake Forest University, where he advanced through several positions in event management, facilities and operations. As assistant athletic director for events, facilities and operations, he oversaw event management and event operations and was responsible for the daily operations of the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, while also serving as football game manager and working on athletic facilities, championship events and emergency management.
His career at Wake Forest began in 2007 as an assistant director of event management and facilities. During his time there, Jenkins was involved in numerous capital projects, including improvements to athletic facilities, and served in leadership roles for NCAA and ACC championship events.
A native of Athens, Georgia, Jenkins is a 2005 graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in sport studies. In 2007, he earned his master’s degree in physical education from Florida State University. He is an active member of the Collegiate Event and Facility Management Association (CEFMA) since 2008 and has served as two committee chairs within the organization in the Sponsorship Committee (2022-24) and Convention Committee (2021-22).
Jenkins and his wife, Faith, have three children: Shepard, Everest, and Lochlan.
