DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University Director of Athletics Dr. Louis "Skip" Perkins has announced the hire of
Etienne Thomas as Deputy Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator.
Thomas brings more than two decades of athletic administration experience to the Eagles. She will provide comprehensive leadership and oversight for key administrative functions within the athletic department, ensuring compliance with institutional, MEAC and NCAA regulations.
The appointment marks a return to Durham for Thomas, an NCCU alum who previously served as SWA from May 2008 through July 2017; She served as Associate Director of Athletics from 2008 to 2016, before being elevated to Senior Associate Director of Athletics.
Most recently, Thomas served as Director of Athletics at Winston-Salem State University, from January 2020 through 2025. She was the third woman to serve as AD at WSSU, and at the time of her appointment, she was one of just 23 African American athletic directors in the NCAA.
The Rams won five Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships during Thomas' tenure, which also saw marked increases in fundraising for facility upgrades, corporate partnerships and alumni engagement.
Thomas also negotiated revenue generation of $100,000 in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic.
Thomas also served as Director of Athletics at Kentucky State University from July 2018 to December 2019, which also marked fundraising increases dedicated to facility upgrades and sports marketing.
Kentucky State also established a men's volleyball program under her leadership.
Prior to her appointment at Kentucky State, Thomas spent one year as Associate Director of Athletics for Student Life at the University of Kansas.
Thomas is a 1996 graduate of North Carolina Central, and she has completed all coursework toward a J.D. degree from The University of Iowa College of Law. In 2006, she completed the 18-month NCAA Fellows Program.
She is a lifetime member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and is a member of Minority Opportunities Athletics Association, Women Leaders in College Sports, National Association of Collegiate Directors of America and the National Association of Athletics Compliance.
For more information on NCCU athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
