Georgia Gwinnett College’s inaugural Director of Athletics Dr. Darin S. Wilson has been recognized as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ (NAIA) 2025 Hall of Fame class, announced by the national office on Monday, September 15, as part of the organization’s national awards day. He will be formally inducted on April 12, 2026, as part of the 2026 NAIA National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
Wilson currently serves GGC as Vice President for Advancement and Community Engagement.
“This honor is truly special. I am deeply grateful to the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who, over the past 20-plus years, have worked tirelessly and shared in this journey. I’m also thankful for the presidents who trusted me to lead their athletics departments,” Wilson stated about the NAIA Hall of Fame honor. “The NAIA Hall of Fame is filled with remarkable individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping others succeed, and I am humbled to join their ranks. It is a privilege to be forever connected to this distinguished group.”
As the college’s Associate Vice President of Athletics and Director of Athletics from 2011-23, Wilson established one of the NAIA’s premiere athletic departments, winning 21 national championships and 32 conference titles. GGC’s men’s and women’s tennis programs have each captured 10 national crowns and baseball added the Avista NAIA World Series title in 2021.
Wilson is one of two athletic directors to receive the NAIA National Athletics Director of the Year twice (2015-16 and 2010-11). He also collected the NAIA Under Armour AD of the Year award for the southeast region from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics in 2018-19, 2014-15 and 2009-10.
GGC President Dr. Jann L. Joseph stated, “It was my great pleasure and honor to nominate Dr. Darin Wilson for induction as a distinguished member of the 2025 NAIA Hall of Fame class. I have witnessed firsthand Dr. Wilson’s transformative leadership and the profound, positive impact he has made on our athletics program, students, institution, and broader community.”
Wilson mentored six intercollegiate teams and Office of Athletics staff members to develop into lifelong leaders of character through academic and athletic excellence. He instilled the program’s five core values of service, responsibility, leadership, sportsmanship, and the pursuit of excellence.
Executive Athletics Director Dr. Ian Potter, who worked under Wilson for several years, remarked, “Dr. Darin Wilson is well-deserved for this NAIA Hall of Fame induction. His vision and leadership set the standard for excellence and has left a legacy at GGC and within NAIA college athletics. I’m especially grateful for his mentorship and guidance in my career. It has been a true reflection of the countless lives he has positively impacted throughout his journey.”
Wilson has served on the NAIA’s National Administrative Council and Athletic Directors Association Executive Committee. He also was a member of the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Executive Committee.
Before coming to GGC, Wilson was Athletic Director at Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, following five years as baseball coach.
Then under Wilson’s leadership, GGC’s athletic teams won nearly 78 percent of all athletic contests and totaled 1,590 victories in 11 seasons of competition. In 2020-21, three teams won NAIA national championships. The department produced 123 NAIA All-Americans and 34 Academic All-Americans.
Wilson also was instrumental in GGC hosting national postseason championships in men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s tennis, softball, and baseball. He supervised the construction of the $15 million Grizzly Athletics Complex which features a baseball, softball, soccer, and tennis complex, plus a 25,000-square-foot athletics building for staff offices, team locker rooms, weight room, athletic training areas, hospitality suites, and academic resource space.
In an executive leadership role for the college, Wilson was part of the team that oversaw the construction, installation and organization of GGC’s Convocation Center. The facility has hosted two commencement ceremonies. The facility includes wellness and meeting space for students, faculty and staff along with a 3,500-seat capacity arena. Men’s and women’s basketball teams will begin playing in the Convocation Center in 2025-26.
Wilson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Union College and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.