TAMUSA's Smith and Burbank honored for their roles in the university's success

 

Inaugural Athletic Director Dr. Darnell Smith is the mastermind behind the athletics program's success, which grew from two teams in 2021 to 12 in the 2026-27 season. Inaugural Annual and Athletics Giving Officer, Jordan Burbank, has been by Smith's side throughout the university's foray into intercollegiate athletics. 

 

Burbank, working in University Advancement, cultivates donor relationships, coordinates scholarships, and creates opportunities directly benefiting student-athletes. Her efforts elevated the university's fundraising efforts, earning her the 2026 National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) Jason Galaska Rising Star Award, which recognizes emerging professionals in collegiate athletic development.

 

Burbank's award narrative read: "…has led transformational growth in both the university's annual fund and athletics fundraising initiatives. Throughout the past year, she nearly doubled the athletics donor base—from 82 to 163 donors—and increased the average gift size from $217 to $235.

"She also launched the university's first-ever giving society, the JClub, securing 40 founding members in its first year, and elevated major fundraising events such as the Jaguar Classic, which saw a 175-percent revenue increase under her direction."

 

Adding to this recognition, Burbank became the first NAIA member to receive the NAADD Jason Galaska Rising Star Award, further drawing integral national attention to the RRAC. Her award will be presented in June at the 2026 NAADD Convention in Las Vegas.

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Dr. Darnell Smith received the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Outstanding Young Alumni Award this spring. This prestigious honor is given to alumni aged 40 or younger who have attained distinctive professional success, contributed meaningfully to their communities, and exemplified OSU leadership and service.

 

The San Antonio native's educational background includes a bachelor's degree in economics (2006) and a master's in natural and applied sciences (2008) from OSU, followed by a PhD in adult and higher education, with a focus on intercollegiate athletics administration, from the University of Oklahoma.

 

Dr. Smith leads the development of the university's first intercollegiate athletics program — the first of its kind in South San Antonio's history. In his role, he oversees all facets of athletics operations, including facilities, compliance, community engagement, and fundraising.

 

Widely recognized as a visionary leader in collegiate athletics, Dr. Smith has also received the following accolades:

Enrollment at TAMUSA has grown to nearly 8,000, ranking it eighth among the 12 universities in the Texas A&M system. Adding membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the RRAC has boosted the school's profile and driven growth. During its inaugural season in 2021, the university fielded a softball team and a men's golf team. In subsequent years, TAMUSA added men's and women's soccer and men's and women's basketball. The school will begin competing in men's and women's cross-country and men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, bringing its total to 12 varsity sports.

 

The teams have competed successfully among 13 schools in Texas, including hometown rival Our Lady of the Lake University, plus Jarvis Christian University (Hawkins), North American University (Stafford), University of North Texas-Dallas, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texas A&M University-Victoria, Texas College (Tyler), as well as schools in Louisiana: Louisiana Christian University (Pineville), LSU Alexandria, LSU Shreveport, Xavier University of Louisiana (New Orleans), and in New Mexico, the University of the Southwest (Hobbs).

 

The TAMUSA women's basketball team notably finished runner-up in both the conference regular season and the postseason tournament, earning the Jaguars an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship. This marked the first time a TAMUSA team qualified for nationals, advancing to the Round of 16.

 

TAMUSA's success reflects the outstanding leadership of Dr. Smith and Jordan Burbank. Congratulations to both on these remarkable achievements.