Winston-Salem State University Charts New Path with Business-Focused Athletic Director

Winston-Salem State University is redefining what modern HBCU athletics leadership looks like. After a national search that attracted more than 80 applicants, the university this week officially introduced Eric Burns as its permanent athletic director, marking the culmination of a 13-month transformation that has quietly repositioned Ram athletics for a new era.

What makes Burns' appointment noteworthy isn't just his credentials—it's his background. Before becoming AD, Burns joined WSSU in March 2025 as deputy athletic director and chief financial officer, bringing senior fiscal experience from UNC School of the Arts, UNC Greensboro, and fellow HBCU Fayetteville State. It's a résumé that reflects how much college athletics has evolved into a business enterprise.

Chancellor Bonita Brown made clear that filling the position was about more than just hiring an administrator. It was about preparing for college sports' rapidly changing landscape.

"It's a new day in the athletics world. A lot is changing all the time, from the NIL to the portal to the different rules and requirements."

Brown explained her decision to bring in someone with Burns' financial expertise: "I needed someone who had connections and networks and understood money, budgeting, and resources, and how to bring people together. Someone who understood that student experience and was going to create that culture and environment."

A Strategic Vision for Ram Athletics

Burns outlined a vision built on four pillars: transformational student-athlete experience, increased revenue generation, facility enhancements, and community impact. His approach sounds more like a corporate strategic plan than traditional athletic department messaging.

"We will aggressively pursue new revenue streams through fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and alumni engagement.



By aligning athletics with institutional advancement efforts, we will create meaningful opportunities for our supporters to invest in the future of WSSU athletics."

Since assuming the interim role last October, Burns has already overseen two major hires: football coach Tory Woodbury last December and new men's basketball coach Jay Butler from CIAA rival Virginia Union.

Burns has openly discussed modern college athletics realities including sports betting revenue, NIL policies, and budget management—conversations that look very different than those many Division II schools were having even two years ago. According to university documents, sports betting revenue currently serves primarily as "budget relief" rather than funding for major expansion projects.

Success On and Off the Court

The transformation comes during one of the most successful stretches in recent WSSU athletic department history:

• Women's basketball won its first CIAA Tournament title earlier this year under Tierra Terry
• Women's flag football repeated as CIAA champions
• Women's outdoor track and field repeated as conference champions
• Golf advanced to NCAA Division II regionals for the first time ever

The hiring of Butler signals another shift in thinking. The CIAA Coach of the Year at Virginia Union discussed creating a developmental basketball structure at WSSU. "We're going to have a developmental team here. We're going to have a group that's redshirting. And then we're going to have a varsity team," Butler said, describing a 30-to-35-player ecosystem that reflects how roster management has evolved in the NIL and transfer portal era.

For Chancellor Brown, the stakes extend beyond wins and losses. "Athletics is the front door to the university," she said. "It is one of the first ways you will experience and see a university and see who we are, our pride, our discipline, and our commitment to excellence."

At many HBCUs, athletics departments are still fighting just to keep pace. Winston-Salem State is attempting something different—modernizing while holding onto the culture that made Ram athletics matter in the first place.

Originally reported by HBCU Gameday.