Jacksonville, FL–Over the past a number of years, within the broad scope of athletics, Edward Waters School was an afterthought. Competing within the NAIA and having marginal success, the Tigers weren’t what many would contemplate an A-list HBCU. In actual fact the final profitable season the soccer workforce had previous to final 12 months’s success was 2004…practically 20 years in the past.
In 2018, the board of trustees of Edward Waters School made a daring transfer. They unanimously selected a 37-year-old to steer the varsity. Whereas younger in age, his expertise was simply what the physician ordered for the small AME college on the north aspect of Jacksonville, Fla. New president Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr. got here in with expertise within the sizzling key points for HBCUs that are retention and fundraising.
His profession is affected by expertise from HBCUs, with diversified ranges of involvement. He’s a graduate of Albany State College, the place he attained his undergraduate diploma. He’s additionally a graduate of the College of Georgia the place he earned his juris doctorate. From there he turned board licensed within the state of Georgia.
Faison has an unlimited array of expertise at HBCUs
His management journey began at Mississippi Valley State College, as Chief of Employees and later Vice President for Institutional Development after which to Virginia Union College as Vice President for Enrollment Administration and Scholar Affairs, and at last to Tuskegee as Common Counsel and Vice President for Exterior Affairs earlier than being named President at Edward Waters in 2018.
He got here to Edward Waters with a imaginative and prescient…to raise the college by a mix of strong educational processes and athletics success.
“After we got here to the establishment in 2018, we started to chart our path comprehensively as an establishment,” stated Faison. “From our perspective and conversations with our board and neighborhood, we felt we actually had a possible area of interest in using athletics to develop the model of our establishment to extend enrollment; utilizing these revenues to assist launch extra educational applications and develop the general depth and breadth of the establishment.”
EWU moved from NAIA to NCAA D-II in 2021
Issues started to vary briefly order. Led by Faison, Edward Waters would announce in 2021 that EWU was provisionally shifting as much as NCAA D-II in athletics. It was the primary time within the 155-year historical past of the varsity that it had participated on the NCAA stage. On the identical day of the general public announcement, it was revealed that the Tigers would rejoin the SIAC. They had been members beforehand within the convention from 1930-1935, earlier than the convention migrated to D-II standing within the NCAA.
In a grand announcement, the purple and orange had regained relevance on a nationwide scale like by no means earlier than. Not discounting any of the successes of the varsity beforehand, however this was a serious step into development for each the athletic division and the college.
Lengthy seen because the little college in Jacksonville, it started to stretch its wings and tiers started to be climbed. A significant renovation to the varsity’s on-campus soccer facility was an enormous piece of the turning level. The turf area, new grandstands, new press field, and pristine president’s field the place he entertains donors throughout soccer video games grew an thrilling recreation day setting.
In 2021, Faison made the selection to usher in Toriano Morgan to steer the Tiger soccer workforce. Morgan would add well-known veteran coach Brian Jenkins to his employees as offensive coordinator. The workforce had struggled mightily even on the NAIA stage. Being reintroduced to the SIAC and launched to Division-II was a easy transition for Morgan and his employees.
Lecturers-wise, the college made a leap in 2021 as effectively. Edward Waters School turned Edward Waters College. It was a galactic leap for the varsity. Since then, the varsity’s recognition has skyrocketed. EWU is now the fastest-growing HBCU within the state of Florida and one of many quickest rising within the nation.
In 2021 the Tiger soccer workforce would end at 4-7, going 3-7 in convention play. In 2022 the workforce noticed marginal enchancment and ended the season at 5-6, however extra importantly 4-4 in SIAC play. This was the indicator that this system was shifting ahead. In 2023, the workforce had its first profitable season in fairly a while, going 6-4 for the season and 5-3 in SIAC play. The 2 signature wins for the workforce in 2023 had been the upset of Tuskegee at “The Shed” for its homecoming and an thrilling last-play defeat of eventual SIAC runners-up Albany State in Jacksonville.
2024 might be an enormous 12 months for EWU as its three-year probationary standing as a member of the SIAC is to be evaluated. It may end result within the dropping of the provisional membership, including them as a fully-authorized member in one of many massive 4 HBCU conferences. With the success of the applications and the expansion within the picture of the varsity, barring one thing unexpected they’re anticipated to be absolutely admitted.
Not solely are the soccer amenities bettering, the varsity has made a marked funding into its student-athletes. Moreover, Faison is exceptionally happy with his director of athletics, whom he credit with forging the division ahead.
“I actually imagine there must be a symbiotic synergy between the president and the athletic director. I selfishly imagine I’ve one of the best affiliate vice chairman and director of athletics within the nation right here in Dr. Ivana Wealthy. The job that she has accomplished to return in and proceed this imaginative and prescient…she has come and never solely slot in, however taken issues to a better stage,” Faison stated.
The amenities upgrades on the college embrace a devoted student-athlete educational heart and a well being and wellness heart that has expanded the burden room, medical therapy equipment, and incorporates a vitamin heart. Edward Waters is definitely in unchartered territory on the time and judging from Faison’s imaginative and prescient and drive, that is just the start.
“As we appeared round geographically, we’re sitting proper within the footprint inside a five-hour radius of 90-percent of the establishments which can be within the SIAC,” Faison stated. “We had been in a superb convention within the GCAC, however you didn’t get the identical type of HBCU expertise that our college students needed, our alumni needed, our metropolis needed. It made lots of sense for us, while you’ve obtained Savannah (GA) an hour-and-a-half away…we would have liked to be sure that our model turned synonymous with the manufacturers of these establishments (within the SIAC).”
HBCU Gameday is producing a particular for every week in June referred to as “Florida’s 4 HBCUs,” the place we sit down with every HBCU president within the state of Florida (B-CU, Edward Waters, Florida A&M, and Florida Memorial). Please be looking out for these broadcasts as you’ll hear extra of the story from EWU President Dr. A. Zachary Faison.
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