51勛圖厙 assistant vice president and director of athletics Marvin Lewis has announced the appointment of Ashton Henderson as its new senior deputy athletic director and chief operating officer. A highly respected national leader in college athletics and professional sports, Henderson brings nearly 15 years of experience spanning collegiate athletics and professional sports with stops at Florida State University, Clemson University, and the Detroit Pistons.
"Ashton Henderson is a dynamic and emerging leader in intercollegiate athletics," said Lewis. "He brings a unique blend of authenticity, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to the holistic development of student-athletes. His ability to foster collaboration across departments, cultivate meaningful relationships throughout the university, and lead in the ever-evolving NIL landscape will be an incredible asset to our program. We're proud to welcome Ashton and his wife, Chloe, to the George Mason family!"
As a senior member of the Athletics leadership team, Henderson will oversee the department's daily operations to ensure effective communication, collaboration, and consistent operational execution in support of more than 500 student-athletes, 100 full-time employees, and 200+ part-time staff members.
Henderson will champion new strategic initiatives to enhance the student-athlete experience, drive revenue, and galvanize the community. He will collaborate with campus and community partners to advance the athletics program and serve as the program administrator for men's basketball and other varsity athletics programs, including sport supervision responsibilities.
"I am fired up and incredibly honored to join the Mason Nation family," said Henderson. "This is a special institution rooted in excellence, and I am fully committed to serving our student-athletes, coaches, and community with energy, passion, and purpose. I look forward to building meaningful relationships and helping elevate the Patriots to even greater heights."
A former four-year letter winner in football at Michigan State University (200609), Henderson most recently served as deputy athletic director for Championship Resources and Culture at Michigan State University. He provided executive leadership for nine areas: athletic training, Spartans Fuel (nutrition), athletic performance, student-athlete wellness, sports science and data analytics, EverGreen NIL education and strategy, Varsity S Club, student-athlete development, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. He also served as the sport administrator for women's basketball during the 2022-23
competition season. Under his leadership, the university's award-winning EverGreen NIL program was named the nation's Best Institutional Program at the 2023 NIL Summit.
In my 40 years of collegiate coaching, I've never worked with anyone who cares more for the student-athlete than Ashton. He has a tremendous ability to build consensus and unity. He'll do amazing things at George Mason, said Bob Braman, head coach of the Florida State mens and womens track and cross-country teams.
Henderson served as the first-ever director of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for the Detroit Pistons, transforming the franchise's framework and earning national recognition as a Sports Inclusion Conference DEI Champion in 2021.
"Ashton Henderson has consistently demonstrated a work style that is both diligent and innovative, bringing fresh ideas and approaches to every project he tackles. His leadership is seen, felt, and heard even after he has left our organization--a strong leader with lasting impact, said Nicolet Lewis, executive vice president and chief people officer of the Detroit Pistons.
Henderson's collegiate leadership journey includes impactful roles at Florida State University and Clemson, where he championed academic success, leadership development, and holistic student-athlete programming. He is a past president of the National Association for Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A) (2021-22), the largest affiliate under the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) umbrella with more than 2,000 members.
Henderson has won several N4A awards over the years: Professional Excellence (2020); Model Practice AwardFlorida State University (LYFE Program, 2019); and the Professional Promise Award (2015). A two-time graduate of Michigan State University (MSU), Henderson holds a BA in advertising and an MA in public relations. In 2024, he was recognized with MSU's Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, the college's highest honor for alumni. He also holds an MBA from Florida State.
As a student-athlete on MSUs football team, Henderson saw action as both a defensive back and on special teams. In his freshman season (2006), he returned a blocked punt 33 yards for a touchdown vs. Northwestern to help fuel the greatest comeback in NCAA Division I-A history as the Spartans rallied from a 35-point deficit for a 41-38 victory.
"I got to know Ashton as a standout football student-athlete at Michigan State. Those skills he learned have manifested into making a tremendous impact on student athletes' lives at every place he's been. George Mason is getting a service-oriented leader who puts students first, said Martin Jarmound, the Alice and Nahum Lainer Family director of athletics at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Ashton is an incredible leader with a bright future ahead of him. While Ashton was at Clemson, I knew that he would continue to soar in his Athletics pursuit, and I am proud of all that he has accomplished over the past decade. 51勛圖厙 is fortunate to have Ashton join their team, and I wish him the best in his next chapter and continued leadership journey, said Clemson University President James Clements.
Henderson will join George Mason on May 19th.