Why the Charlotte 49ers chose Clemson’s Kevin White as next athletic director
Charlotte officially announced the hire of its new athletic director on Monday morning, with Kevin White joining the 49ers following four years as deputy athletic director at Clemson.
White’s hire fills a vacancy of more than four months after Charlotte moved on from former AD Mike Hill in October, with interim AD Jesh Humphrey serving in the role during the search.
University chancellor Sharon L. Gaber, the Charlotte Board of Trustees, and university administrative staff utilized the industry consulting firm TurnkeyZRG during the search — the firm previously utilized in the hire of former head football coach Biff Poggi.
White will serve as the school’s eighth athletic director in its history, and the first African American to hold the position.
“I am honored to join Charlotte at such an exciting time,” White said in the university’s release. “Charlotte has tremendous potential, strong institutional support, and a passionate fan base. I look forward to working with Chancellor Gaber, our coaches, staff, student-athletes, and supporters to build a championship-driven culture and position Charlotte Athletics for sustained success.
“My family has been incredibly supportive of me throughout my career and will continue to be an important part of what we do at Charlotte,” White continued.” My wife, Jari, our oldest son Justin, and his wife Sunita, along with Kamden and Kinley, could not be more excited to join me as part of Niner Nation.”
White’s introductory press conference will take place on at 4 p.m. Thursday on campus.
About Kevin White
A Chattanooga, Tennessee, native, White earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina, received his master’s from Georgia State, and an MBA at Kennesaw State. He began his administrative career with Georgia State in 2009, before joining SMU, a former American Conference school, in 2014 as a chief operating officer. From there, White made the jump to the Big Ten, joining Northwestern as deputy AD and COO, a role that led to his move to Clemson, where he has served as deputy AD for the past four years.
White’s role with the Tigers included NIL programming, facility enhancements, athletic success, and revenue-sharing agreements, with a focus on football and men’s basketball. White was heavily involved in student-athlete and agent negotiations and led an effort to partner with ESM, a marketing agency that positioned Clemson to sign NIL deals through commercial partnerships.
White received plenty of praise from the Tigers’ coaches he worked with, including football coach Dabo Swinney and men’s basketball coach Brad Brownell.
“I am excited for Kevin and his family. Kevin did a great job for us at Clemson,” Swinney said. “He is well-prepared and is a great fit for this opportunity at Charlotte.”
“I’ve been able to work closely with Kevin over the past several years, and I am extremely happy for him and his family. He’s well-equipped for the ever-changing landscape in college athletics,” Brownell said. “Charlotte got a good one, and I wish Kevin the very best.”
White has worked with five head coaches who have won national championships during their coaching careers, and was a member of the North Carolina junior varsity men’s basketball team during his time at Chapel Hill.
A fan of basketball, White also played for Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy during his prep days — a program that saw the likes of Kevin Durant, Rajan Rondo, and Ty Lawson suit up.
Why the hire makes sense for Charlotte
Gaber and the university elected to end Hill’s seven-plus year tenure as athletic director in October 2025, and although specifics on the split were not provided, fundraising and athletic success — or lack thereof — spearheaded the decision.
“Timing in leadership transitions is always challenging. However, the landscape of college athletics is changing rapidly, and the University must position itself for long-term success,” Gaber said in October. “This transition reflects our commitment to evolving with those changes and ensuring UNC Charlotte remains competitive and sustainable.
“We’ll be looking for someone who understands the evolving landscape of college athletics — particularly in areas like NIL, student-athlete experience and financial sustainability — and who can continue to strengthen our programs and community engagement,” Gaber continued.
With White’s focus being centered on fundraising, facility improvement, and NIL during his four-year tenure at Clemson, specifically on student-athlete and agent relationships, this hire checks all the boxes that Gaber laid out.
Charlotte is in the midst of a $70 million stadium expansion for football, among other renovations, and has struggled on both the gridiron (6-18 spanning two seasons) and the hardwood (men’s basketball: 25-35) over the past two years.
Clemson director of athletics Graham Neff highlighted White’s community engagement and connectivity, which will benefit the 49ers.
“We are extremely excited for Kevin, Jari and their family. I can’t say enough about the type of man, father, and colleague he is. Charlotte is getting a steady, trusted leader in Kevin White. He’s been a critical member of our leadership team and his integrity is unquestioned. His connectivity and engagement within daily operations, our front office, and fundraising has been a critical driver of our success,” Neff said of White. “His work both behind the scenes and on the front lines gives him wide-ranging perspective to serve as an athletic director, and we are excited for the 49er community.”
This story was originally published February 23, 2026 at 12:39 PM with the headline "Why the Charlotte 49ers chose Clemson’s Kevin White as next athletic director."