Charlene Johnson, a native of Allendale, SC, has been a fixture in college athletics for over 40 years, mostly as an administrator. She has served at Voorhees University, her current place of employment, and South Carolina State University, her alma mater.
After 31 years as a part of the Athletics Department at SC State, twelve as Director of Athletics, Johnson joined Voorhees College (University) in September of 2017 as Vice-President for Enrollment Management, Student Affairs and Athletics.
Under her tutelage at Voorhees University, several of her staff members have been voted Staff Employees of the Year for their outstanding accomplishments in their positions. Also, the University Choir was invited to participate at prestigious Carnegie Hall, the men’s basketball teams have enjoyed two (2) conference championships. The men’s indoor track team won the Division II HBCU Black National Championship, and the men’s outdoor track team won the HBCUAC championship in 2025.
Voorhees University, during Johnson’s tenure, can boast of a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic National Champion in the triple jump. Several athletic facilities have undergone renovations under Johnson’s leadership. The on-campus track has been renovated, and scoreboards were purchased for baseball, softball and men and women’s basketball.
In addition, future renovations to the basketball locker rooms and athletic training area are planned along with additional office space. The university pool is also undergoing major renovations as well the baseball and softball fields, including the addition of new state of the art dugouts.
The Athletic Department joined the HBCU Athletic Conference in 2024. To improve efficiency, Johnson has hired a full-time compliance officer/senior woman leader, and an athletics academic enhancement coordinator. With emphasis on student athletes’ welfare, a full-time athletic trainer has been hired for the first- time in school history, and the department is in the process of hiring the first full-time strength and conditioning coach and sports information director. Also, the athletic booster club (Tiger V-Club) has been established, and the first-ever Voorhees University Athletic Fueling Station is set to open in the coming weeks.
One of Johnson’s proudest moments at Voorhees has been her vision of recognizing the outstanding former athletes, donors and coaches by inaugurating the Voorhees University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.
Johnson was named Director of Athletics at South Carolina State University in 2004. The only woman at that time to serve as Athletics Director (AD) at the institution, Johnson completed 31 years of service as a member of the department, in which she previously served as senior woman administrator, associate athletics director and coach.
A true “Trailblazer”, Johnson enjoyed several “firsts” during her distinguished career as an athletic administrator at SC State. At the time of her appointment, she was the only female Athletics Director in the Palmetto State, and she was the first woman assigned as a full-time coaching position at SC State. In 2005, she became the first woman to serve as Chairperson of the Directors of Athletics Association in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. In addition, she has also served on several NCAA Committees to include but not limited to serving as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee.
During her tenure, many of the athletic facilities underwent major improvements, attendance at athletic contests and revenues increased significantly and academic enhancement was also strengthened. Facility improvements include replacing the grass at O.C. Dawson Stadium with new poly turf, enabling the facility to be used for multi events; the addition of a new video board; and renovations to the locker room, weight room and training room; also, the playing surface at the basketball arena (S-H-M Memorial Center) were replaced, locker rooms renovated, a new scoreboard added and press and media accommodations upgraded; In addition Dukes Gym was upgraded, an on-campus softball field erected with a scoreboard, and a “Game Zone” created for football, leading to a substantial increase in football ticket sales. The University also hosted High School League Football Championship games as well as SCIASA Football Championship contests. In 2011, SC State was one of 26 colleges and universities across the nation earning NCAA certification.
Johnson, who earned both her bachelor’s (1980) and master’s (1987) from SC State is married to Bishop Virgin Johnson, Jr and they have three children, Taylor, Trey and Anthony.
Voorhees
- The men’s basketball teams won two (2) conference titles
- Men’s Indoor Track team won the 2025 HBCU Division II National Championship
- Men’s Outdoor Track Team won the 2025 HBCU Athletic Conference Championship
- Men’s track student athlete won the 2024 NAIA outdoor National Title in the Triple jump
- Four (4) Conference Coaches of the Year
- Facility renovations
- Hired first full-time Head Athletic Trainer
- In the process of hiring First Full-time Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Established the first Athletic Booster Club
- Established the first University Athletic Hall of Fame
- Adding the Athletic Fueling Station
- Hired full-time compliance officer
- Hired Sports Information Director
- Instituted Annual Education Day for local and surrounding communities
SC State
- The first woman to serve as Athletic Director in (almost 12 years)
- At her appointment she was the only Female AD in the Palmetto State
- The first woman to serve as the Chairperson of the Director of Athletics in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
- The first woman to be assigned a fulltime coaching position at SC State
- Head Volleyball and Tennis Coach at her alma-mater
- Served as assistant women’s basketball coach
- Served seven years as Senior Woman Administrator and Associate AD
- Served as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee
- Inducted into the SC State Athletic Hall of Fame as an administrator in 1998
- Received special SC State Athletic Hall of Fame recognition as a member of the 1979 SC State National AIAW Division II Basketball Championship Team in 2000.
- Featured in the Columbia SC State newspaper in 1999 as one of the Twenty (20) South Carolinians making a difference in the Palmetto State.
- SCSU National Alumni Association Stellar Alumnus Award (2012)
- Rainbow PUSH Jesse Jackson Jr. Sports Person of the Year Award (2013)
- National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Magazine Recognition (December 2013)
- National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) Distinguished Award
- Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
