Southern University

Southern University Athletics Mourns the loss of Former Athletic Director Floyd Kerr

2/7/2023 2:00:00 PM

By: Rodney Kirschner Deputy Athletics Director | Director of Strategic Communications | Sports Information Director

BATON ROUGE, La - Southern University Athletics extends condolences and mourns the loss of former athletic directors, Floyd Kerr, who passed away Saturday, Feb. 4. Kerr was 76-years-old.

Kerr served as Morgan State University's athletic director from 2005 to 2016 and oversaw a highly competitive program at Morgan spanning 15 varsity sports and more than 280 student-athletes. During his tenure, Morgan's men's basketball team racked up three league championships, finishing atop the regular season standings and eventually proceeding to win two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships. And in 2014, the Bears football team reclaimed its first MEAC title in 35 years earning a co-championship nod during the memorable "Return to Greatness" season.

Prior to Morgan, Kerr also served as athletic director at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA where he helped guide the Jaguars through stadium renovations to Mumford Stadium as well as NCAA academic reforms on campus from 2000 to 2005 and was vital to Southern's athletics fundraising as well, helping implement the first Jag-A-Thon.

In 2004, Kerr was named one of the "101 Most Important Minorities in Sports" by Sports Illustrated. He was selected for his role in revamping Southern's athletics department by tightening operations and stressing academics, which led to a more than 50 percent increase in the student-athlete graduation rate.

A native of Oxford, Mississippi, Kerr held bachelor's and master's degrees from Colorado State University. Kerr and his twin brother, Lloyd, were key players on a CSU team that advanced to the Elite Eight of the 1969 NCAA Tournament. He finished his CSU career with 905 points, which ranked among the top 10 in school history at the time.

Floyd Kerr was selected by three pro franchises in two sports — the NBA's Phoenix Suns, ABA's Utah Stars and NFL's Dallas Cowboys — following his college career but instead played one season apiece with the Harlem Magicians and for a professional team in Belgium that won the European championship that season.

Kerr returned to CSU from 1974 to 1980, joining the staff of his former coach, Jim "J.J." Williams. He was the first Black assistant coach in school history.

He went on to a long and successful career as an athletic administrator, winning state championships as a high school coach in both Ohio and New Jersey before moving to the college ranks as an assistant athletic director at Youngstown State in Ohio from 1993 to 2000.

Kerr was also an accomplished actor and visual artist.

Kerr was married to Vivian Kerr, director of museums for the Southern University System

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