Washington, D.C. — Howard University announced today the promotion of Kery Davis from athletics director to vice president of athletics, effective immediately. This position, a historic first for the university, reflects Davis’s exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment to the academic success of our student-athletes, and transformative vision for the university's athletic programs. 

A highly respected figure with more than 25 years of experience in collegiate athletics, television, and entertainment, Davis has played an instrumental role in advancing the university’s athletic profile since his arrival in 2015. 

During his tenure, Howard athletic teams have won 33 national, conference and regular season titles, including the university’s first NCAA win for women’s basketball in 2022, six consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball champions and NCAA tournament appearances from 2015-2022, back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for the men’s basketball in 2023 and 2024, and back-to-back MEAC conference championships for football in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, Davis has been at the helm of the university’s groundbreaking performances by the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, the only such programs at a historically Black college or university, and its men’s and women’s golf teams — the first Division 1 men’s and women’s program in the university’s history thanks in part to a 2020 donation from All-Star NBA player Steph Curry. 

“Kery has been a phenomenal leader of our athletics department, and we are proud to have him leverage his business acumen and knowledge of the sports and entertainment industry to guide Howard University Athletics to even greater heights,” said Cynthia Evers, senior vice president of the Division of Student Affairs. “Having built a culture where student-athletes are supported holistically — academically, personally, and professionally, it’s clear his impact goes far beyond the scoreboard. This elevation is a testament to Kery’s vision and the deep respect he has earned from our campus stakeholders.” 

In addition to overseeing the successful performances of the university’s student athletes, Davis has been instrumental in elevating the profile of Howard’s athletics program through significant partnerships with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including AT&T, Nissan, Rocket Mortgage, Nuna, and Mielle. In 2021, he negotiated the landmark 20-year agreement with Jordan Brand including the creation of Howard University/Jordan line of apparel to be distributed worldwide. Howard is one of only six universities, the only HBCU, and the only non-Power 5 school sponsored by Jordan Brand for football and basketball.  

Davis’ greatest achievements include managing the Athletics Department’s Academic Improvement Plan, resulting in more than 300 athletes being named to Conference All Academic teams with an overall department GPA of 3.34, as well as branding the University as a destination for student athletes who excel academically. 

He has led efforts to create unique sporting events at Howard, including the inaugural NBA/HBCU All-Star Game and the Truth and Service Classic at Audi Field.  

“Howard University is an institution steeped in incomparable history with an amazing legacy of accomplished and loyal alumni, renowned faculty and some of the brightest students a person could ever meet,” Davis said. “I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to continue building a championship culture and ensuring that our student athletes have state-of-the-art facilities that will go far in helping them exceed their athletic goals.” 

In 2024, Davis was named the National Association of Collegiate Director of Athletics (NACDA) FCS Athletic Director of the Year. He has also been recognized as one of Sports Illustrated magazine’s “Most Powerful Minorities in Sports” and Black Enterprises’ “Most Powerful African Americans in Sports.” 

Prior to joining Howard University, Davis spent 17 years at HBO Sports, where he served as senior vice president. There, he was responsible for defining and implementing the strategic direction of HBO’s Emmy Award-winning sports programming division and for international sales of HBO Sports programming. Highlights of his time with the cable network include the negotiation of complex multiyear rights agreements with sports leagues and athletes, including the production and licensing deal with the National Football League for “Inside the NFL” and the Emmy Award-winning series, “Hard Knocks.” Additional accomplishments include the negotiation of numerous multiyear fight deals with Oscar De La Hoya, Roy Jones, Jr., Lennox Lewis, Shane Mosley, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. A member of the team that brokered the complex, groundbreaking, dual-network pay-per-view bout between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.  

Davis’ proven leadership and creative direction also played a key role in various departments within HBO, including marketing, legal/business affairs, finance, HBO-on-demand, and media/public relations. 

Davis earned a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College, where he played varsity basketball, and his juris doctorate from the Cornell University Law School. A member of the New York State Bar, Davis is also a member of the NCAA’s Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee and the MEAC’s Men’s Basketball Competition Committee. 

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