Charlene Johnson
Athletics Director
Guiding the South Carolina State University Department of Athletics is Charlene Johnson, who enters her fourth year as head of the department. After serving as Athletics Director in an interim capacity in 2004, Johnson was elevated to the position on a permanent basis in the spring of 2005. Always a groundbreaker, Johnson continued to build upon her legacy last year as she is the first female to serve as the Chair of the Director of Athletics in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The 2007-08 athletic season marks Mrs. Johnson’s twenty-fifth year as a member of the South Carolina State University Department of Athletics, making her one of just three athletics staff members with 20-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 two earning NCAA tournament appearances. The SCSU men’s tennis team captured both the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships, earning trips to the NCAA tournament each season. During the last three seasons, the Lady Bulldogs joined the men’s team as conference champions, winning their first MEAC title since the early eighties in 2005 and titles and trips to the NCAA tournament in both 2006 and 2007. The 2004 season also saw the SCSU football capture its first MEAC championship since 1994.
As the school’s Associate Athletics Director, Johnson helped usher in a new era in SCSU Athletics, assisting in the planning, directing, and coordinating of all areas of the department of athletics.
Her efforts in athletics have extended beyond South Carolina State as she has served on several NCAA committees.
She began her illustrious career in athletics at South Carolina State University in 1983 when she became the first woman to be appointed to a full-time coaching position when she served 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina State . She is married to Virgin Johnson, Jr., and they are the proud parents of two children: Taylor and Virgin (Trey), I