included Special Olympics, AHSAA and AISA championships. Troy will once again serve as the host institution for the Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship in 2013. Dennis came to the Troy family from Auburn University, where he served in a variety of capacities beginning in 1985. His final assignment was as the Associate Director of Tigers Unlimited, the Athletics Department’s Development office. In that position, he was responsible for identifying, cultivating and soliciting support from individuals, private industry and corporations for the Athletics Department. A native of Macon, Ga., Dennis graduated from the University of Georgia, Cum Laude, in 1978.
Director of Athletics
STEVE DENNIS 8th year University of Georgia, ‘82 Steve Dennis enters his eighth year as the Director of Athletics for Troy University in 2012 and his tenure has been marked by continued growth of all of Troy’s athletics programs in the Sun Belt Conference and Division I. Since his arrival at Troy in March of 2005 Dennis’ focus has been on the most important part of any athletics program, the student-athletes. Due to that emphasis Troy University student-athletes have led all public institutions of the Sun Belt Conference and in Alabama during his tenure. Over his seven years Troy University student-athletes have regularly posted grade point averages of 3.0 or better. That high academic standard led Troy to enjoy the highest level of success possible under the NCAA’s Academic Progress Report for the 2008-09 and the 2009-10 school years, with all 16 NCAA sports above the mandated 92.5 percent. Troy University’s student-athletes have flourished on the field of play as well as in the class room. Troy’s baseball program has had 17 players drafted or signed to professional contracts while the football program has sent 27 players into professional football, including first-round draft picks DeMarcus Ware and Leodis McKelvin. The Troy football program has been especially successful under the watchful eye of Steve Dennis. The Trojans have won five consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles and have appeared in four bowl games since his arrival as Director of Athletics. That success on the field has translated to success in the stands as Troy has led the Sun Belt Conference in football attendance in five of the past six seasons.
His tenure as Athletics Director also been marked by construction and growth of Troy University’s athletics facilities. The soccer and track teams moved into a brand-new facility. Riddle-Pace Field underwent $5 million in renovations that included the construction of the Lott Baseball Complex. Veterans Memorial Stadium saw the addition of two new luxury boxes and prior to the 2012 season a brand new playing surface. The crowning achievement of the facility improvements under Dennis is the new Trojan Arena that will open for the 2012-13 basketball season. It will also be the home of the Troy volleyball team and house the new Troy University Sports Hall of Fame. Dennis has also been responsible for visits by Oklahoma State, Mississippi State and Navy to Troy in football. Dennis has also shepherded the athletics department through NCAA certification and, at the same time, completed a five-year strategic plan for the program’s continued growth. Externally, Dennis was instrumental in the formation of the Trojan Warriors, the athletic department’s booster club, as well as “The Legion” a student support group. Both groups have grown to more than 1,000 members in a short time and continue to grow annually. The athletics department also entered into a marketing agreement with IMG College, an agreement that was renewed in 2009. Other external accomplishments have included chartering the “T” Letterman’s Club as a chapter of the Troy University National Alumni Association and the establishment of the Al Lucas Endowment for StudentAthlete Excellence.
While at Georgia, he was the Bulldogs’ defensive captain in 1978 and was an Academic AllSoutheastern Conference selection that same season. During his playing career, he played in three bowl games for the Bulldogs. His foundation as a student-athlete guides Dennis in his quest to take Troy athletics toward great things in the future. Dennis started his professional career as a high school teacher, football coach and baseball coach in Windsor (Ga.). He started his collegiate coaching career at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1981. In fourplus seasons, he coached outside linebackers, the defensive line and special teams for the Moccasins. Dennis went to work as the defensive backs and special teams coach at Auburn in 1985, and he remained on the Tigers’ staff for eight seasons. He was named the SEC Working Coach of the Year in 1986 by The Birmingham Touchdown Club. During his initial stint with the Tigers, he coached alongside current Troy head coach Larry Blakeney. Current Troy assistant coach Shayne Wasden, as well as former assistant coaches Mike Pelton and James Joseph, all played for the Tigers while Dennis served on the coaching staff. Dennis returned to his alma mater in December of 1993, and worked as the defensive backs and special teams coach for the Bulldogs for two seasons. From 1997 until 2002, Dennis was out of college athletics. He worked in sales, marketing and promotions for Georgia Southern Wood, Inc., serving in that role from 1997 until 2000. He then worked at Cleveland Brothers Construction from 2000 until 2002. Dennis returned to Auburn to coach tight ends in 2002, before moving to fund-raising within the Auburn Athletics Department in 2003. During his college coaching career, he was part of seven bowl teams and one Division I-AA playoff team. Dennis and his wife, Lisa, have four children - Chris, Cale, Corey and Allison.
Under his leadership, the Troy Athletics Department has hosted numerous state and regional athletics events, including the Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship in 2008 and the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship in 2009. Other events have
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