Staff Directory
- Title:
- Deputy Athletics Director/Chief Strategy Officer
Charles Small, Ed.D., joined the Syracuse University Athletic Department in June, 2026, where he serves as the Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Strategy Officer.Â
Small joins Syracuse from the University of Washington, where he served as senior associate athletic director for sport administration and led the Big Ten department's post-House Settlement strategy, coordinating more than 67 strategy sessions to modernize operations and build new infrastructure for the revenue-sharing era.
Small previously served as director of athletics at Valparaiso University, where he led the planning for a $120 million capital project and guided the program to consecutive years of record academic performance. Prior to his time at Valpo, Small spent four years at Iowa State University, where he served as sport administrator for men's basketball and wrestling while leading sports medicine, compliance, strength and conditioning, academic support services and former student-athlete relations. Earlier in his career, he also held positions at the University of Arkansas and the University of New Orleans. Small holds a doctor of education from the University of Pittsburgh, along with a master's degree in social work and a bachelor's degree in social work from Pitt. He was also a four-year member of the Pitt's men's basketball program, where he won a pair of Big East championships, advanced to four NCAA Tournaments and made two Sweet Sixteen appearances.
"The vision Bryan [Blair]Â has laid out for Syracuse Athletics is not only compelling, it's inspiring," says Small. "The work ahead is exactly the kind of challenge I came to this profession to take on. I look forward to helping shape the strategy and the structures that allow this program to compete at the highest level, on and off the field."
