According to sources familiar with the proceedings, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss personnel matters, the Personnel and Litigation Committee and Athletics Committee unanimously recommended Ashley Robinson for vice president and director of athletics.<\/p>\n
Corey Lowery<\/a>, Crawford’s recommendation for head men’s basketball coach, received a dramatically different response.<\/p>\n Neither committee recommended Lowery.<\/p>\n Yet Lowery’s candidacy remains alive and will advance to the full Board of Regents during its special session Wednesday, Aug. 19.<\/p>\n That raises a significant question: \u00a0Who’s in control at TSU?<\/p>\n Who’s in control at TSU? | HBCU Legends<\/p>\n THE HIRING PROCESS AND QUESTIONS<\/p>\n Crawford recommends the candidates, but the president does not have a vote on the Board of Regents. The committees met to review the recommendations, working in an advisory capacity. The eight voting regents ultimately decide whether Robinson and Lowery will be hired on Wednesday.<\/p>\n With Lowery advancing despite failing to receive a favorable recommendation from either committee, attention now turns to Board Chairman James M. Benham and his role in the process.<\/p>\n One alumnus put the question more directly to HBCU Legends: \u201cWho’s James M. Benham, and is he in control, making all of the decisions?\u201d<\/p>\n Other alums and observers have raised similar questions: Is Texas Southern identifying the best candidates? How is the university funding two national searches<\/a>? Does Crawford have the best interests of Texas Southern athletics in mind?<\/p>\n And one question continues to surface around the basketball search:<\/p>\n Who is Corey Lowery, and why is his candidacy still moving forward?<\/p>\n Everything points back to April 2025, when a series of events began reshaping the Texas Southern athletics department.<\/p>\n HOW TEXAS SOUTHERN REACHED THE AUG. 19 VOTE<\/p>\n Two of Texas Southern’s highest-profile athletics positions became vacant within a single academic year.<\/p>\n One followed allegations against an athletics director, a civil lawsuit, administrative investigations and an eventual termination.<\/p>\n The other came when the men’s basketball coach resigned on the opening day of the transfer portal.<\/p>\n Here is how Texas Southern reached Wednesday’s special session.<\/p>\n THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR VACANCY<\/p>\n Late April 2025 — A Texas Southern athletics department staff member alleged that then-vice president of intercollegiate athletics Dr. Kevin Granger made inappropriate comments, engaged in unwelcome physical contact and committed a groping incident.<\/p>\n The allegations became public weeks later in a civil court filing.<\/p>\n June 2, 2025 — Houston attorney Tony Buzbee filed a civil lawsuit in Harris County on behalf of the staff member, who remained employed by the university.<\/p>\n The petition sought more than $1 million in damages, penalties, costs and attorney’s fees. Granger denied the allegations through his attorney.<\/p>\n June 2025 — Texas Southern placed Granger on administrative leave<\/a>. The university opened two external, independent administrative inquiries under Title VII and Title IX.<\/p>\n August 2025 — Crawford appointed Dr. Paula L. Jackson interim athletics director, shifting day-to-day operations to Jackson while Granger’s status remained unresolved.<\/p>\n February 13, 2026 — Texas Southern terminated Granger as vice president of intercollegiate athletics. He had led the department since February 2019.<\/p>\n The university kept his Hall of Fame status and student-athlete records intact.<\/p>\n Mar. 5, 2026 — HBCU Legends first reported that Granger’s retired No. 10 jersey banner<\/a> was no longer hanging in the rafters at H&PE Arena and photographed the vacant space during the Prairie View A&M-Texas Southern basketball doubleheader.<\/p>\n A high-ranking athletics department administrator looked toward the rafters and told HBCU Legends, \u201cI had no idea it was removed, and I’m here every day.\u201d<\/p>\n Texas Southern has not publicly explained the removal or connected it to the lawsuit.<\/p>\n March 12, 2026 — Granger’s termination became public. HBCU Legends reported the firing, citing reporting by Terrance Harris of The Defender. The civil case remained active.<\/p>\n The allegations against Granger are drawn from civil court filings and public statements. The case is civil, not criminal. Granger has denied the allegations through his attorney and has not been charged with a crime. Legal proceedings are ongoing.<\/p>\n Texas Southern Athletic Department Saga Timeline | HBCU Legends<\/p>\n JOHNNY JONES LEAVES, AND ANOTHER SEARCH BEGINS<\/p>\n April 7, 2026 — Johnny Jones resigned<\/a> after eight seasons as Texas Southern’s head men’s basketball coach to join Will Wade’s staff at LSU as an assistant.<\/p>\n Jones left Houston with more than 130 victories, three consecutive SWAC Tournament championships from 2021 through 2023, four NCAA Tournament appearances and two NCAA Tournament victories.<\/p>\n His resignation came on the day the transfer portal opened.<\/p>\n April 7, 2026 — Texas Southern named longtime assistant Shyrone Chatman interim head coach<\/a> and said a national search would begin immediately.<\/p>\n Chatman, 47, previously served in assistant roles at Memphis and UMass.<\/p>\n June 3, 2026 — Texas Southern confirmed to HBCU Legends that it hired DHR Global<\/a> to conduct the men’s basketball coaching search.<\/p>\n Managing partner Glenn Sugiyama leads the Chicago-based firm’s sports practice. The university said it would make no further public comment until a sole finalist was named.<\/p>\n Texas Southern University announced President Crawford has “identified” the candidates he intends to recommend to the TSU Board of Regents for the positions of Director of Athletics and Head Men’s Basketball Coach. | HBCU Legends<\/p>\n CRAWFORD MAKES HIS RECOMMENDATIONS<\/p>\n August 11, 2026 — Crawford said he had identified the candidates he intended to recommend to the Board of Regents for vice president and director of athletics and head men’s basketball coach.<\/p>\n He did not publicly identify them.<\/p>\n The special-session agenda reviewed by HBCU Legends identifies both positions but does not name the candidates.<\/p>\n Those names subsequently emerged.<\/p>\n Crawford’s choice for athletics director was Robinson, Jackson State’s vice president and director of athletics since 2018 and the former athletics director at Prairie View A&M.<\/p>\n His recommendation for men’s basketball coach was Lowery, a Seton Hall assistant and former Lincoln University head coach.<\/p>\n Then came the committee meetings.<\/p>\n Corey Lowery (left), President James W. Crawford III (middle), and Ashley Robinson (right) | Courtesy of the Houston Defender<\/p>\n ROBINSON GETS UNANIMOUS COMMITTEE SUPPORT, NOT LOWERY<\/p>\n According to sources familiar with the Aug. 14 proceedings, the Personnel and Litigation Committee and Athletics Committee unanimously recommended Robinson<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lowery did not receive a favorable recommendation from either committee.<\/p>\n That distinction is significant.<\/p>\n![\"Who's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01m05qa93rrghec1f55j.jpg\" "\\"Who's")
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![\"Corey](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01m05qnh8536pxh4qs83.jpg\" "\\"Corey")
<\/p>\n![\"Ashley](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01m05ph85pvb0b7vb34x.jpg\" "\\"Ashley")
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