JSU's Jim Fuller Announces Retirement
as Athletic Director

JSU A.D. Jim Fuller (left) - pictured with OVC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher and JSU President Bill Meehan, announced his retirement on Sunday. Courtesy: Jacksonville State Sports Information.

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Jim Fuller announced on Sunday that he will retire at the end of August as the Athletic Director at Jacksonville State, ending his 17-year relationship with the University.

President William A. Meehan said that Fuller met with him earlier in the week to give notice of his intention to retire at the end of the summer.

"I appreciate the leadership that Coach Fuller has given our University over the last five years," Dr. Meehan said. "Under his leadership, we have achieved unmatched success in the Ohio Valley Conference, both on the field and in the classroom."

During his five-year tenure, the Gamecock athletic programs have seen tremendous success in competition – winning 31 conference championships and two OVC Women’s All-Sports Trophies. It’s the most Conference Championships by Jacksonville State over a five-year span in the history of the University and 14 more Conference titles than the next OVC school during that span.

But more impressive is the success in the classroom – with over 450 student-athletes being named to the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and more than 600 student-athletes maintaining a 3.0 grade point average during his leadership.

Fuller, who was responsible for the day-to-day operations of 16 varsity sports, is a former head football coach for the Gamecocks and former assistant football coach at the University of Alabama. Major capital projects that occurred under Fuller include the completion of Kennamer Hall and the William Taylor Stewart Strength and Conditioning Center; renovations of Gamecock Football Field House; Paul Snow Stadium turf project; Paul Snow Stadium scoreboard project; University Field upgrades; and more than $2.5 million has been pledged to Athletics through the University’s Capital Campaign.

"I felt like it was just the right time for me to step away from college athletics, which is something I’ve been involved in for more than 40 years," said Fuller, who played for coach Paul "Bear" Bryant from 1964-67.

"I was blessed to have worked with an incredible staff, which has been able to direct, guide and often times assist me in doing my job. With their help, and in many situations taking time out from their jobs, we have been successful in accomplishing some, but not all the things that we set out to do."

Fuller, a native of Birmingham, began coaching football at his alma mater of Fairfield High School, before moving on to Jacksonville State in 1970.

He was an assistant coach for the Gamecocks from 1970-73 and again from 1975-76. He was named the head coach at JSU in 1977.

At the helm of the Gamecocks, Fuller compiled a 54-25 record and led Jax State to the Division II playoffs six of seven years and captured four Gulf South Conference Championships. For his accomplishments he was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year three times and Regional Coach of the Year twice.

In 1983, he was hired at Alabama by Ray Perkins and remained there for 15 years. After retiring from the coaching scene in 1997, Fuller dabbled in sales and the restaurant business until 2003, when he decided he wanted to get back to the athletic world in some capacity.

Dr. Meehan said that he expects to begin the search for the new Athletic Director by posting the position by the end of the year. Meanwhile, an interim Athletic Director could be named until the position is filled.

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See OVC News at OVC Web site: www.ovcsports.com.

Reprinted here in its entirety from OVC Press Release. .

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