Effective, January 1st, Jeff Childress of Salisbury will step up to serve as Catawba College's interim Director of Athletics. Childress will fill this role, created by the recent resignation of Dennis Davidson, until a new Director of Athletics is hired. A search committee is being formed to review applications and recommend candidates.
"We are grateful to Jeff for his willingness to step in and help us on a temporary basis until a permanent Director of Athletics is named," Catawba President Brien Lewis said. "In addition to serving as Director of Tennis for the men's and women's teams, Jeff serves as our Assistant Athletic Director. He has also served as Pfeiffer University's Director of Athletics between 1998 and 2003. He brings much useful experience to this interim role without a desire to fill this position permanently."
Childress played tennis for four years at Pfeiffer University from 1985-1989. He served as the graduate assistant for the men and women's tennis teams at East Carolina University from 1990-1991 and earned his M.A.Ed. from East Carolina in 1995.
He coached men's tennis at Catawba from 1991-98. During those seven years, Catawba compiled a 78-70 record and earned two trips to the NCAA II regional tournaments, hosting the event in 1996. Childress took over a depleted squad and after two rebuilding seasons, Catawba posted a 70-40 record over the final five years, including a 26-5 mark in 1998. During this time, Childress also served as Catawba's Head Men's and Women's Cross-Country Coach, Director of Intramurals, Assistant Director of NCAA Compliance, and Assistant Athletic Director.
Childress left Catawba in 1998 to become the Director of Athletics at Pfeiffer University. During the 2003-04 academic year there, he served as Pfeiffer's Men's Tennis Coach, Assistant Athletic Director, and Sports Information Director. In 2003, he received the United States Tennis Association's Southern Section Community Service Award.
Returning to Catawba from Pfeiffer in 2004, Childress assumed the duties of Director of Tennis, coaching both the men's and women's intercollegiate teams. He also was tapped to serve as Assistant Athletic Director. In 2005, he received the C.A. Suther Coaches Award at the college. During his tenure as Director of Tennis, he has guided the men to 231 wins and the women to 120 victories.
Childress is married to Dr. Donna Childress, who is employed at Rowan Diagnostics. They have two sons, Michael and Ben, and a daughter, Lauren.
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