Miles College Names Interim Athletic Director

FAIRFIELD, AL — Miles College has a new temporary athletic director. Head basketball coach Fred Watson will assume the role of interim athletic director effective January 3, 2022.

Watson joined Miles College in 2018 as the head basketball coach and assistant athletic director after a lengthy career of 16 seasons at Benedict College. Prior to joining the Miles College coaching staff, Watson served as the assistant athletic director, associate athletic director as well as interim athletic director of Benedict College in 2015.

He has secured more than $500,000 in private funding through his fundraising efforts during his career. During his 18-year head coaching career, Watson has captured 14 championships in 18 seasons and seven regular-season titles. He is a seven-time SIAC Conference Tournament champion, with the most recent being in 2020.

Watson has also been named SIAC Coach of the Year for seven seasons, coaching four SIAC division champions, and was selected for the 2019 inaugural NCAA College Academy. Watson was named Top 50 Most Impactful Coaches and is also a founding member of the Black Coaches United board, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), and more.

Watson has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Benedict College and a Masters of Sports Management and Administration from American Public University. He is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Sports Leadership.

“Throughout his celebrated career as head basketball coach and assistant athletic director, coach Watson has led the Miles College basketball team through multiple winning seasons with his hard work, dedication, and successful recruiting efforts,” said Bobbie Knight, Miles College President. “I am extremely happy for Coach Reginald Ruffin on his new endeavor and am confident that Coach Watson will continue to lead the Miles College athletic program with the same standard of excellence throughout this transition.”

“I am extremely grateful to President Knight and the Board of Trustees for this incredible opportunity and their trust in me,” Watson said. “The commitment to the comprehensive pursuit of academic excellence and unwavering support of athletics is what brought me to Miles College. I look forward to building on the amazing things that are taking place at the College and within the athletic department under the leadership of President Knight.”

A search for the next head football coach is underway.