Marshall Announces the Hiring of Gerald Harrison as Athletic Director

Marshall has named Gerald J. Harrison the school’s new Vice President/Director of Athletics for Thundering Herd Athletics.

Harrison’s appointment as the 23rd Director of Athletics in Marshall history came after approval by Marshall’s Board of Governors on Monday morning.

“Gerald Harrison embodies the values and vision we hold dear at Marshall University,” said Marshall president Brad D. Smith said. “His track record of championship performance, strategic innovation, and people-first leadership stood out at every step of our national search. What impressed me most was Gerald’s unwavering belief that athletics is not just about wins and losses; it’s about building a culture of excellence, elevating student-athletes and uniting a community.

“He understands the power of higher education to transform lives and sees athletics as a platform for opportunity, inspiration, and impact. As we continue advancing our Marshall For All, Marshall Forever strategy, Gerald’s approach to leading with integrity, heart and bold vision will take our program and our people even further.

“We welcome Gerald, Lisa, Torri and Lorri to the Marshall family and look forward to building the next great chapter of Thundering Herd Athletics together.”

We are pleased to announce Gerald J. Harrison as the next Director of Athletics at Marshall University.#WeAreMarshall pic.twitter.com/T47rClsH3t

— Marshall Athletics (@HerdZone) July 28, 2025

Harrison comes to Marshall from Austin Peay where he served as Vice President and Director of Athletics since July 2018. The family-oriented, Florence, South Carolina, native comes to Huntington with his wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, Torri and Lorri. His wife is the former Lisa Addison – a former track standout at Austin Peay – and his daughter Torri is currently a women’s basketball player at Western Kentucky.

“I could not be more excited to be a member of The Herd and the Huntington community,” Harrison said. “Thank you to President Brad D. Smith, the Board of Governors, and the selection committee for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity. I’m honored to stand on the shoulders of so many great leaders and work together to use our rich tradition and history to build a bright future – not just for Marshall Athletics, but for the entire university and our community.

“From day one, we will begin our relentless pursuit of excellence in intercollegiate athletics. However, this pursuit cannot be done alone. I look forward to collaborating with campus leadership, our students, and community partners to ensure Marshall leads the way in competition, student-athlete success, development, well-being and community engagement.

“During our visit to Huntington, my wife Lisa and I were in awe of the sea of Kelly green, the kind words and the welcoming smiles that made it clear – this place is special! It is that deep-rooted passion – paired with innovation and hard work – that will make us one of the most complete athletics departments in the nation. Lisa, our daughters Torri and Lorri, and I can’t wait to get started and proudly shout those words … Go Herd!!”

Marshall University was assisted in the national search by CarrSports Consulting.

Most of this story was taken from the Marshall press release.