Staff Directory

Jeremy McClain

Title:
Director of Athletics
Email:
Phone:
266-5017

Jeremy McClain was named the eighth Director of Athletics at The University of Southern Mississippi on April 8, 2019. Since returning to Hattiesburg, McClain has led Southern Miss Athletics through a period of significant organizational, competitive and financial change, while establishing a long-term vision for the continued growth of Golden Eagle Athletics.

At Southern Miss, McClain has emphasized creating a culture that looks beyond limitations and focuses on solutions. His tenure has included navigating the department through the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning from Conference USA to the Sun Belt Conference, adapting to the emergence of NIL and direct revenue sharing, expanding fundraising and revenue-generation efforts, and investing in the student-athlete experience.

In 2022, McClain introduced the ToTheTop25 Strategic Plan, establishing 25 initiatives designed to strengthen competitive excellence, revenue generation, student-athlete development, facilities, fan engagement and the department's connection with the broader Southern Miss community. The plan reflects his belief that successful organizations must be intentional, proactive and willing to pursue opportunities that position them for long-term success.

A significant focus of McClain’s tenure has been expanding the resources available to Southern Miss Athletics. Under his leadership, the department has established consecutive fundraising records, with the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation generating $9.5 million in FY2025 and $9.8 million in FY2026, the latter representing the most ever raised in a single year by the department. McClain has also emphasized the development of new revenue opportunities and strategic corporate partnerships as the economics of college athletics have continued to evolve.

In September 2026, Southern Miss announced a 10-year naming-rights partnership with Renasant Bank for the university’s football stadium, creating Renasant Stadium. The agreement, valued at approximately $13.7 million over its term, represents a significant new recurring revenue source for Southern Miss Athletics and reflects McClain’s emphasis on developing partnerships that create long-term value for the department and the university.

McClain has also made significant investments in the physical infrastructure supporting Southern Miss student-athletes and fans. His tenure has included the development of a new golf practice facility, a new beach volleyball facility, and the Bower Academic Center. He also has overseen the planning and design of a $45M Reed Green Coliseum renovation, designed to enhance the experience for student-athletes, fans and the broader Southern Miss community.

Prior to becoming Director of Athletics, McClain served as Southern Miss’ Deputy Director of Athletics from 2012–15, overseeing day-to-day departmental operations while playing a significant role in revenue generation, fundraising, facility development and organizational planning. During that time, Southern Miss established records for annual fund and foundation giving, while McClain also gained experience managing major capital projects and navigating significant leadership transitions within the department.

In 2015, McClain was named Director of Athletics at Troy University, where he led a 16-sport department through a period of organizational and competitive growth. During his tenure, Troy won five Sun Belt Conference championships, appeared in three consecutive football bowl games and made NCAA postseason appearances in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s golf and baseball. McClain also oversaw significant facility development, including the construction of a $24 million North End Zone facility at Veterans Memorial Stadium, while restructuring revenue-generating operations and expanding the department’s resources.

Before joining Southern Miss as Deputy Director of Athletics, McClain served as Director of Athletics at Delta State University from 2007–12. At Delta State, he led a 13-sport NCAA Division II program and helped establish a foundation for growth in fundraising, corporate partnerships, facilities and competitive success. During his tenure, Delta State captured seven Gulf South Conference championships and made nine NCAA regional appearances, and competed in national championship games in football and baseball.

McClain’s career in athletics administration followed a successful playing career at Delta State, where he was a two-time All-American baseball player and later inducted into the Delta State Athletics Hall of Fame. He went on to spend five seasons playing professional baseball before returning to collegiate athletics and beginning his administrative career. He earned both his bachelor’s degree and Master of Business Administration from Delta State University.

Throughout his career, McClain has placed a strong emphasis on people, relationships and organizational culture. He believes athletics departments are at their best when coaches and staff understand the vision, have the resources necessary to pursue it and are held accountable for executing their responsibilities. His approach has consistently centered on developing people, strengthening the organization, creating opportunities and building sustainable resources that ultimately enhance the student-athlete experience.

As the college athletics landscape continues to evolve, McClain remains focused on building an athletics program that reflects the values of Southern Miss while providing student-athletes and coaches the resources, leadership and opportunities necessary to compete at the highest possible level.