Officials say widespread support was key in the search committee’s decision.
Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander has named Chris Robinson the new athletics director at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Robinson has served as interim director of the athletics department since February.
“Since moving to the athletics department at UAPB, AD Robinson has had success working to improve all facets of the operation for the benefit of our student athletes,” Alexander said. “In addition to earning the very strong endorsement of the AD search committee, he also enjoys the widespread enthusiastic support of the staff, the alumni and key stakeholders.”
In a statement, Robinson said he was grateful to the chancellor and the search committee for the opportunity to lead his “beloved Golden Lions.”
“There are exciting plans underway as we build on the wildly successful football, volleyball, and track and field 2020-2021 seasons,” Robinson said. “I look forward to collaborating with our coaches, staff and student athletes to further improve all of our athletics programs as well as ensuring our student athletes continue to excel in the classroom, not just on the field or court.”
Prior to serving as interim athletics director, Robinson was executive associate athletics director, a position he held since January 2020. He previously served as director of the Office of Recruitment for eight years.
When he rejoined the UAPB Athletics Department, Robinson returned to the place where he enjoyed success as a football player and coach for the Golden Lions, according to a press release. Robinson played for the legendary Archie “The Gunslinger” Cooley, and then transferred to Southern University where he played quarterback for one season. As the UAPB football program returned to play in 1993, he returned to lead the Golden Lions to the 1994 NAIA National Championship game, highlighted by a seven-touchdown (six passing / one rushing) performance in a come-from-behind overtime semifinal win.
Before returning to UAPB as an assistant coach, Robinson coached quarterbacks and running backs at MidAmerica Nazarene University while also serving as assistant softball coach and as the school’s director of minority affairs. A 2014 UAPB Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Robinson earned his bachelor’s degree in management from UAPB and a master’s degree in business administration from MidAmerica Nazarene University.
He is married to two-time All-American track runner and Golden Lion alum Kim George. The couple has two sons — Christopher, a graduate wide receiver at UAPB, and Kylan, a junior transfer wide receiver — and a daughter, Kaylen.