The Texas Southern University Board of Regents has approved a five-year contract extension through 2029 for Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Kevin Granger.
Dr. Granger, who has served as TSU’s Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics since 2018, has been affiliated with the university for 31 years as a student-athlete, coach and administrator.
“I would like to thank our Board of Regents and President Crawford for having the trust and belief in me to guide our athletic department,” said Dr. Granger. “Texas Southern has played a pivotal part in my life and I’m honored to have the opportunity to keep building on the foundation. We are coming off another history-making season both academically and athletically and my goal is to continue elevating TSU to another level as I want to also thank the student-athletes, university faculty and staff and athletic staff for working together as a cohesive unit to ensure TSU remains at the forefront in this era of college athletics.”
Under Dr. Granger’s watch, the department has continued to maintain its high standards academically in the Academic Performance Rate (APR) and Graduation Success Rate (GSR) categories with record scores during his tenure. For the second time in three years, TSU has won the SWAC’s Academic Success Award which is an award decided upon each member institution’s collective ranking in the categories of highest four-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) average, highest single year APR average, and highest Graduate Success Rate (GSR).
On the playing fields, TSU made history this past semester by capturing the 2023-24 Southwestern Athletic Conference C.D. Henry Award, which is presented to the top men’s program in the SWAC. This also marked the second time TSU has been presented with the award since its inception in 1969.
As TSU’s Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics, Granger has had the opportunity to witness success firsthand as the men’s track and field program completed the SWAC trifecta with championships in cross county, indoor and outdoor seasons this past year. The TSU baseball team won its first SWAC Western Division title since 2018 this spring while the men’s basketball program wrapped up its seventh straight season with a postseason tournament appearance. Also under Dr. Granger’s watch, the men’s basketball team has won three consecutive SWAC Basketball Tournament Championships and a pair of NCAA First Four wins along with back-to-back SWAC Women’s Golf Titles in 2022 and 2023. TSU has also won SWAC Championships in men’s golf (2022) and men’s cross country (2019) as both programs participated in the NCAA Regionals.
Several years ago, the famed TSU Ocean Of Soul Marching Band, TSU Cheerleaders and Dance Team (Tiger Sensations) were placed under the watch of Dr. Granger and the Department of Athletics. Since the transition, all programs have flourished as the band has made several nationally televised appearances across the country while TSU Cheer made history as the first HBCU to win a national title in 2023 while the Tiger Sensations earned a bronze bid to the National Dance Alliance (NDA) College Nationals in 2024.
Dr. Granger has also played a major role in upgrading the athletic department’s facilities as Durley Stadium (new turf) and the H&PE Arena (Jumbotron) has received major enhancements in addition to the new Athletic Strength and Conditioning Facility which is the first on-campus athletic venue to be constructed at TSU since the 1980s. In the spring of 2024, TSU unveiled its state-of-the-art golf simulator room inside the H&PE Arena which allows the TSU golf teams to practice year-round despite weather conditions. Also in the works are new baseball and softball facilities courtesy of the team’s partnership with the Houston Astros.
Promoting Texas Southern to the local community has been another area Dr. Granger has made strides in as the department hosted its inaugural community fan fest in August of 2023. He has also revamped the department’s fundraising initiatives with the implementation of the AD’s Legends Club in addition to securing and renewing additional corporate partnerships with area businesses.
A Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Hall of Famer, Dr. Granger holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Texas Southern (2000) as well as a Master’s degree in Health Education (2014). He received a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Curriculum and Instruction from TSU in May of 2022.
Courtesy: TSUSports.com