Charlene Johnson
Athletics Director At the helm of the South Carolina State University Department of Athletics is Charlene Johnson, who begins her seventh season as Athletics Director at her alma mater. After guiding the Department in an interim capacity in 2003, Johnson was elevated to the Athletics Director on a permanent basis in the spring of 2004. Always a groundbreaker, Johnson has built an outstanding legacy at SC State and beyond the Orangeburg campus. Three years ago, she became the first female to serve as the Chairperson of the Director of Athletics in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. She has also served on several NCAA Committees.
The 2010-11 athletic season marks Mrs. Johnson’s twenty-eight year as a member of the SC State Department of Athletics, making her one of just three athletics staff members with 25-plus years of service to the University’s athletics department.
Prior to being named Director of Athletics, Johnson served seven years as the senior women’s administrator and associate athletics director for the university. During her tenure as Director of Athletics, three different SC State teams have brought home conference championships, with three earning NCAA tournament appearances. The Bulldog football team won the 2008 and 2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles and made back-to-back trips to the prestigious FCS Playoffs, and was league Co-Champion in 2004.
The women's tennis team has won the last six MEAC tennis crowns and made as many apearances in the NCAA Tennis Championship, while the men's squad has earned six of the last seven MEAC titles and as many berths to the NCAA TournamentThe SC State men’s tennis team captured both the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships, earning trips to the NCAA tournament.
As the school's Associate Athletics Director, Johnson helped usher in a new era in SC State Athletics, assisting in the planning, directing, and coordinating of all areas of athletics. She began her illustrious career in athletics at SC State in 1983 when she became the first woman to be appointed to a full-time coaching position as an assistant on the Lady Bulldog basketball team.
Since that time, she has served the university in a number of capacities, including head volleyball coach, head women’s tennis coach, and as assistant women’s basketball coach. She also spent two terms as the school’s interim Director of Athletics.
Johnson became a part of SC State history early on when, as a player, she helped the Lady Bulldogs capture the 1979 AIAW National Championship with a 73-68 win over Dayton in Fargo, North Dakota. Her five points proved to be the winning margin in the contest. After her playing career, Johnson continued to help the SCSU women’s basketball program. As a member of the coaching staff, she helped the Lady Bulldogs to remain one of the top teams in the Southeast.
In 1990, Johnson guided the Lady Bulldogs volleyball team to its sole Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship, earning MEAC Coach of the Year honors for her efforts. She also earned MEAC Coach of the Year honors for women’s tennis in 1986.
In recognition of her efforts, Johnson was inducted into the SC State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 as an administrator and received special recognition in 2000 as a member of the 1979 AIAW National Championship team.
Mrs. Johnson earned both her bachelor’s (1980) and master’s (1987) from SC State . She is married to Virgin Johnson, Jr., and they are the proud parents of two children: Taylor and Virgin (Trey), III
