JONESBORO, Ark. (10/23/25) – Arkansas State Athletics has hired Dr. Cliff Harrell, a seasoned student services professional with over 15 years of experience fostering student achievement and campus community engagement, as its Deputy Athletics Director, Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Chris Pezman announced Thursday.
Harrell joins A-State from Houston, where he served as the Cougars' Senior Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services and played a key role in achieving the highest departmental term and cumulative GPAs in school history. Under his leadership, Houston also earned its first-ever NCAA Academic-Based Revenue Distribution.
Serving as the chief academic officer at Houston, Harrell spearheaded cross-departmental academic strategy and established a data-informed culture of excellence and accountability, driving sustained APR success and holistic advancement of the department in its inaugural Big XII year.
"Cliff brings a wealth of experience and national respect to this role," said Pezman. "His well-rounded experience at Houston, UCLA and TCU will make him a valuable member of our athletics department and resource for our student-athletes. We're excited to have Cliff join our team as we continue to advance the student-athlete experience at Arkansas State."
During his tenure at Houston, Harrell had sport oversight for the women's tennis and women's swimming and diving teams, offering leadership, strategic oversight, administrative guidance, and support for program growth and innovation. He led the search for a women's tennis head coach prior to the 2024-25 season.
"I'm honored to join Arkansas State as Deputy Athletics Director," said Harrell. "This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a program on the rise. I'm grateful to Chris Pezman for his confidence and support, and I'm excited to work with our staff, coaches and student-athletes to keep pushing Arkansas State Athletics forward."
Harrell joined Houston from UCLA, where he served as the Bruins' Associate Athletics Director of Academic Excellence and was a vital member of the committee which provided direction for the transition from the Pac-12 Conference to the Big Ten Conference. At UCLA, Harrell served, implemented and pioneered academic support and development for 21 varsity sports, including nearly 700 student-athletes, while managing and leading long-range planning, directing and evaluation of academic support services for student-athletes.
Prior to his tenure at UCLA, Harrell served over four years as TCU's Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Services, where he directed all facets of the athletic academic advising program. He was responsible for strategic planning, implementation, and staff oversight, as well as leading national searches and onboarding initiatives for academic advising personnel.
Harrell oversaw TCU's weekly meetings with athletic academic advisor's staff, including compliance checks and conducted weekly individual meetings. He also led the facilitation of student success initiatives through innovation while using data to inform best practices.
Before his tenure at TCU, Harrell served in several key academic support roles, including Assistant Director of Academics at Georgia State (2017–18), Athletic Academic Advisor at Florida A&M (2016–17), Assistant Director of Academic Support Services at North Florida (2011–13), and Graduate Assistant at Florida A&M (2008–09). From 2012–16, he was Director of Student Support Services at Tiger Academy YMCA Charter School (grades K–5), and from 2009–11, he held multiple leadership roles at Flagler YMCA and Arlington Family YMCA, including Facility Director, Director of Wellness, Director of Sports, and Group Exercise Director.
A Clemson graduate, Harrell earned his Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Development and Technology in 2005, followed by a Master of Education in Physical Education (Sport Management emphasis) from Florida A&M in 2010, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Cognate in Higher Education) from the University of North Florida in 2020.
Harrell and his wife, Ginette, have three sons — Trey, Carson, and Carter.
