Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx are putting the spotlight on the diverse journeys of Black women across sports—from the veteran athletes, to up-and-coming stars, coaches, executives and more—in the series,There was a time when Jaunelle White thought she would have to choose between a professional or personal dream. Now, as the newly appointed athletic director at Point University, it is clear that she can have both.
Although recruited in both volleyball and basketball, White ultimately chose volleyball and had one of the most successful careers in the sport’s history at Auburn. She finished her collegiate career as a four-time All-SEC honoree, and a two-time AVCA All-District first-team award winner. She was also named the 1997 SEC Freshman of the Year and still holds three Auburn career records in total kills , total blocks , and blocks average .
Academics and compliance are the foundation of any athletic department, White says. “When you hear about people getting in trouble, it’s because they’ve broken a rule or they’re not eligible.” White recognizes that sports provide more than just an outlet for students. It’s about health, wellness, teamwork, responsibility and time management. These are also transferable skills that employers find attractive, White explains. She tells her students that recruiters want to talk to them because athletes know how to fight through adversity, how to build a team, and how to network and communicate.
The position at Point University, a small Christian college in West Point, Ga., made her dreams a reality. No other position more fully aligned with her, personally and professionally. White, who grew up Baptist, attended church several times a week. Now she is at a university where it’s commonplace to open and close a meeting with prayer.
In their 15-year marriage, she and her husband have had to write their own love story. It’s a narrative that involves them sometimes working in different cities, so they can both pursue their professional goals. “I want him to do well and he wants me to do well,” she says while recalling the sacrifice each has to make for wedded bliss.