Rodkey leaving GSW for Young Harris

Local Sports

June 4, 2009

From submitted reports/Georgia Southwestern

AMERICUS — Georgia Southwestern State University announced Thursday that Jennifer Rodkey will not return as the assistant athletic director for compliance for the 2009-10 academic year.

Rodkey, recently married to former GSW assistant men’s basketball coach Matt Stearsman, will be the director of compliance at Young Harris College in northeast Georgia and will assume her duties there beginning July 1.

“I am so grateful for the time at I spent at GSW,” said Rodkey. “I especially want to thank coach (Randolph) Barksdale for hiring me as the women's basketball coach and then allowing me to move into the compliance position in 2007, and Jaclyn for giving me the opportunity to move into an administrative position this past year. I will definitely miss all of the people that I have had the pleasure of working with during my time at GSW.”

Rodkey came to GSW in 1999 as an assistant women’s basketball coach under Kip Drown. After two seasons, she spent two years at Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) working in a similar capacity.

Rodkey returned to Americus in 2003 to take the helm of the women's basketball program at GSW. She held the post for four years before assuming the role of compliance coordinator for the Hurricanes in August 2007.

Promoted to assistant athletic director for compliance in January, Rodkey was responsible for the NCAA rules compliance for the entire department.

GSW Athletic Director Jaclyn Kaylor said Rodkey’s expertise and enthusiasm were vital to the success of GSW athletic programs.

“Jennifer kept the staff on its toes and kept the student-athletes on track,” she said. “Her commitment to excellence and student-athlete success was second to none. Young Harris College will certainly benefit from her knowledge, but we will miss having Jennifer here as a Hurricane.”

GSW has initiated the search process to fill the vacancy and hopes to have the position filled by August 1.