Jackson Free Press

Alcorn State University added stability to its athletic program by giving a three-year extension to athletic director Derek Horne. Since the school hired him in August 2014, Horne has overseen the growing success of the Braves' athletic program.

Alcorn gave Horne an extension that will keep him at the university until 2019. Under his watch, the football team has won back-to-back SWAC championships.

The 2014 ASU football team was named Black College Champion, and in 2015, the football team played in the first-ever Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl. When Alcorn State needed a new head coach after Jay Hopson left for the University of Southern Mississippi after the 2015 season, Horne was part of the process to promote former football great Fred McNair to head coach.

Football isn't the only sport to have success at Alcorn State under Horne. The women's tennis team earned back-to-back trips to the NCAA tournament in 2015 and 2016. Tennis coach Anthony Dodgen was named 2016 SWAC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year.

The Braves' basketball team finished second in the SWAC regular season standings last season. Softball finished second place in the East Division, and coach Josef Rankin was named 2016 SWAC Softball Coach of the Year.

Alcorn State is getting the job done in the classroom under Horne, as well. In 2014, the Braves had 91 athletes named to the conference honor roll, and the university won the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic Progress Rate Award for the SWAC. The number of athletes that the SWAC honored for their work in the classroom jumped to 123 students the next year under Horne.

Men's basketball is one program that he is still trying to work on academically, as the team's academic progress rate has fallen each year since the 2010-2011 season.

Horne is no stranger to athletics in Mississippi. He played basketball for the University of Mississippi from 1983 to 1986 and was a four-year letter-winner. During that time, he was team captain in his final two seasons, and as a senior, he received All-SEC academic honors.

In May 1995, Horne accepted a position in the athletic department of his alma mater as assistant athletic director. Horne had several successes at UM, including increasing the involvement of former athletes and alumni in university and athletic-related activities.

He worked at UM for 15 years, rising to the position of senior associate athletic director before leaving to become athletic director at Florida A&M University.

While at Florida A&M, Horne led the athletic department to several successes. In 2010 the football program was named MEAC football tri-champion, and in 2010 and 2011, football was in the FCS top 10 for attendance.

The 2012 men's and women's cross-country team won MEAC championships. Horne also negotiated the largest guaranteed football contract, $900,000, at a historically black college or university.

Horne worked at Florida A&M until Alcorn State hired him on Aug. 8, 2014. The native of Quitman, Ga., is married to Sheila Horne of New Albany, Miss., and the couple has one son, Christopher.