Deborah Rodgers started at Tuskegee in 2022 as the Deputy Chief Athletic Director, where she serves as the compliance liaison for the school among her many duties. This position continues a progression for Rodgers, who has a storied career in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as a student-athlete, coach and administrator.
Currently, Rodgers is responsible for the development and communication of strategic annual and long-term plans in the athletic department. She will lead efforts for Development, Corporate Sponsorship, Strategic Communication, Community Engagement, and Ticketing, along with handling day-to-day compliance tasks.
She is also as the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) and lead Compliance Director. Rodgers also has experience on multiple NCAA entities, including serving on the NCAA Division II Legislative Committee, SWA Chair for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) office, NCAA Pathways member for the 2023-24 calendar year.
Rodgers joined the Tuskegee staff after a stint at Morehouse College, where she served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Senior Women’s Administrator for three years beginning in 2019. She led day-to-day operations in the absence of Director of Athletics, also managed athletic events, coordinated athletic facilities and developed schedules. She also was in integral part of the athletic department’s strategic planning and project management.
After serving as an assistant coach for volleyball and women’s basketball at Miles, Rodgers transitioned to administration in 2012. She served as Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance for seven years, handling day-to-day compliance tasks. She also assisted in drafting assessment reports for the athletic department to meet the college’s requirements for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which is an important part of a school meeting accreditation requirements. She also created and implemented the school’s Athletic Department Policy and Procedure Manual.
After graduating from Fort Valley State University, Jones began her career as an assistant coach for the Miles College Women's Volleyball and Basketball team. Rodgers was a star basketball and volleyball player at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, GA from 2003-2007. She was captain on the volleyball team for three years and led the SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) in kills and blocks for three consecutive years. She was captain of the basketball team as well for two years and a top-ranking player contributing to three consecutive years Fort Valley State University advanced to the SIAC Tournament Championship game. She was named to the SIAC All Conference Team for two years in basketball and SIAC All Conference Team three years in volleyball. Rodgers was honored as Female Athlete of the Year, SIAC Player of the Year in Volleyball, and numerous Most Valuable Player awards, while attending Fort Valley State University.
Rodgers, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, graduated from West End High School and attended college at Fort Valley State University, where she earned a degree in Criminal Justice in 2007. While there, she was an award-winning student-athlete on the basketball and volleyball teams. She was a two-time member of the All-SIAC basketball team and three-time selection to the All-SIAC volleyball squad. Rodgers served as a captain on both teams and led the conference in kills and blocks for three consecutive seasons. She was SIAC Player of the Year in volleyball among a slew of other individual awards.
Currently, Rodgers holds membership in the National Association of Athletics Compliance (NAAC), National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Women Leaders in College Sports, and the D2 Athletic Directors Association, & D2 Athletic Directors Mentoring Institute. She was also the Chairperson of the Athletics Compliance Committee in 2015-16.
