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Edward Waters University hires new athletic director
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- Edward Waters University hires new athletic director
Edward Waters University promoted Ashley Conner to vice president and athletic director of intercollegiate athletics on Jan. 12, designating Conner as the school's first AD hire since the program's transition to NCAA Division II.
Conner has led the department in an interim role since the summer, when former athletic director Ivana Rich-Leitner resigned.
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The promotion marks the latest step in Conner's rapid rise at the Jacksonville school. She joined the department in July 2023 as associate athletic director for student services and senior woman administrator, after previously working on the university's academic side as executive director of student success and retention.
"I'm excited, but also just ready to really put kind of my stamp on it," Conner said. "I've been able to work under previous leadership and kind of live out their vision, so now I'm really able to see where our gaps and our challenges are and face those head-on."
New Edward Waters University athletic director Ashley Conner pulls on an EWU jacket from university president A. Zachary Faison Jr. during her introduction on Jan. 12, 2026. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
Originally from Blythewood, S.C., she held multiple roles at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., before coming to Edward Waters. University president A. Zachary Faison Jr. said that Conner's determination and attitude through each step at Edward Waters made her the ideal choice.
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"You can never count her out," Faison said.
Faison said that the university received an estimated 70 applications. He said the university conducted its search with assistance from Atlanta-based firm Parker Executive Search before selecting Conner for the job.
Conner's promotion also signals stability in an athletic department that underwent turnover in its highest-profile positions during 2025. In addition to Rich-Leitner's resignation, Brian Jenkins took over for Toriano Morgan as football coach in summer, and Edward Waters appointed Todd Day as head basketball coach in place of Cabral Huff days before the tip-off of the men's basketball season.
Conner highlighted key points in her plan for the department, including student experience, sustainable growth and building community support for Tigers athletics. Edward Waters is Jacksonville's only NCAA college football program, and will be entering its sixth year at Nathaniel Glover Community Field and Stadium this fall.
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"Being able to sit down and really look at where we are as an institution and where we are as a department, I'm seeing how we can grow," Conner said.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Edward Waters University promotes Ashley Conner to athletic director
