Florida Memorial Announces New Leadership In Athletics And Head Football Coach

The Lions will keep familiar faces, but in new roles.

New Leadership in the Athletics Department at FMU | Credit: FMU Athletics

HBCU sports will have familiar face, but in new roles Florida Memorial University has officially named Kevin Nesfield as the Director of Athletics, removing the interim label previously assigned to him. In a corresponding move, FMU has appointed Michael Jones as head coach of its football program.

Nesfield originally joined FMU as Senior Associate Director for Student Success and Compliance in August 2021, before being elevated to Deputy AD in September 2023. He was the interim AVP/director of athletics in September 2024.

KEVIN NESFIELD, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Kevin Nesfield - FMU Athletics | FMU Athletics

"I am incredibly honored to take on this role," said Nesfield. "Florida Memorial University has a rich history, and I am excited to contribute to its legacy and work collaboratively with our staff and student-athletes to ensure we achieve our goals in academics and athletics. Anytime that you are selected by university leadership to lead a department, it is always a special moment," Nesfield explained. "To be in this position today, it took everyone that has contributed significantly to the success of this organization since I've gotten here in August 2021. Moving forward, it will continue to take everyone to see this department and institution succeed."

Nesfield was selected for the NAIA Governance & Leadership Academy at the 2022 NAIA National Convention.

"Mr. Nesfield's willingness to serve our student-athletes and his unwavering commitment to excellence made it easy to promote him to this position," stated FMU Interim President William McCormick. "We believe that under his guidance, our athletic programs will not only compete at a high level but also contribute significantly to the personal and academic growth of our students"

In his new role, Nesfield will provide departmental leadership and oversight of the athletic department, ensuring that student-athletes have the resources they need to learn, grow, and graduate on time.

He will also work closely with coaches and staff to maintain a culture of integrity and competitive spirit across all sports teams.

Nesfield brings a wealth of experience from his previous role as Associate Athletic Director for Compliance at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he was responsible for education and interpretation of NCAA rules for all 15 varsity programs.

His expertise also includes serving as the Director of Compliance at the University of New Orleans and gaining valuable experience at Rice University, East Carolina University, and Purdue University.

A former football student-athlete, Nesfield earned his Bachelor of Arts in 2003 and a Master of Science in 2008 from Purdue University. He has been actively involved in NCAA committees, including serving on the NCAA Recruiting Task Force in 2004.

Florida Memorial University is excited for the future of its athletic programs under Nesfield's leadership and looks forward to the positive impact he will have on the lives of its student-athletes.

---

FMU - Head Coach, Michael Jones | Credit: FMU

HEAD COACH, MICHAEL JONES

Florida Memorial University quickly installed former offiensiive coordinatory, Michael Jones, the Lions' new head coach of its football program.

"I am grateful and excited to accept the position as head football coach of Florida Memorial University," said Jones. "I personally want to thank President William McCormick and the FMU Administration for this tremendous opportunity." 

The FMU Football Program Mission Statement: 

To cultivate an environment that empowers our student-athletes to become better men on and off the field as a direct result of being a part of the program will be the cornerstone of operations under Coach Jones' tenure.

"What you can expect from our football team is a championship mindset on and off the field," said Jones. "We will have a team of players that are tough both mentally and physically and that can overcome challenges presented before them. Our team will be built on faith and dedicated to providing service to the general public and the City of Miami Gardens. I am from Miami Gardens, and it's my belief if you take care of the community, the community will take of  you. We will be a team that competes at a high-level and we will finish our goals in everything we do. We will be an exciting team to watch on Saturday's; we will play with passion, precision and enthusiasm."

Jones' dedication to the team and exceptional coaching abilities have been recognized with many prestigious accolades, including the inaugural 2023 SUN Conference Assistant Coach of the Year, followed by a national award the next year as he was named 2024 AFCA NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year.

"Our staff will motivate and encourage all of our players to achieve a 3.0 grade point average. Our goal is to graduate every student-athlete in four years," Jones explained. "We will be a family."

Under his leadership, the program has achieved remarkable milestones and unseen successes. Having coached at Florida Memorial since 2020, serving as the offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach since 2021, he helped lead the team to the most wins in modern history, guiding them to their first SUN Conference victory and their back to back  SUN Conference Championship appearances in 23-24 and 24-25.

In addition, Jones helped significantly improve the team's conference record from 0-5 in 2022 to an impressive 5-2 in 2023, culminating in the program's first winning season with a record of 7-4. In 2024, FMU finished 4-2 in conference play, and 6-3-1 overall.

In 2023, the FMU Lions' offense averaged 37 points per game, good for third among all HBCUs. In 2024, the Lions' offense averaged 38 points per game, good for second among all HBCUs.

---