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LORMAN — Athletic Director Raynoid Dedeaux is leaving Alcorn State for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference just a year after getting started. 

He was hired in February 2022 and returned to his alma mater with grand visions. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced in a press release Monday that Dedeaux was returning to his former position as deputy commissioner and Chief Operating Officer. 

“I’m excited to return to the MEAC, I’m grateful and I look forward to working with Commissioner Stills in executing her vision for the conference office and its Elite Eight member institutions,” Dedeaux said. “I’m forever grateful to Alcorn State, [former] President Nave, [current interim] President Wooden, and the Alcorn community – student-athletes, coaches and alumni – for the opportunity to lead the Braves.”

Robert Raines has been named interim director of intercollegiate athletics at Alcorn State University. He will begin in his new role on Friday, June 9.

“Mr. Raines has a wealth of experience as an athletics administrator,” said Dr. Ontario Wooden, interim president. “He understands the rich history and tradition of Alcorn’s athletic programs and the need to maintain winning programs. I look forward to his contributions in his new role. I thank outgoing AD Raynoid Dedeaux for his dedicated service to his alma mater.”

Raines has over 20 years of experience on the collegiate and secondary school levels serving in administrator and coaching roles.

Most recently, he returned to Alcorn in 2022 as the associate athletic director for business operations, having a previous stint in the same position from 2008-2009 as director of compliance from 1998-2001 and athletics director from 2001-2006.

“I am honored to accept the interim AD position at my alma mater,” said Raines. “We will work together to build upon Alcorn’s long standing legacy and continue to foster the commitment to excellence that we are known for — on the field and in the classroom. I look forward to working with our student-athletes, coaches, fans, and community as we unite to enhance our programs.”

Before returning to Alcorn, Raines was an assistant football coach at McComb High School.

His collegiate athletics experience has landed him at Florida A&M and Cheney University of Pennsylvania, serving as senior athletics director for Compliance & Operations and associate athletics director for compliance, respectively.

Raines received a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education, and recreation with a minor in math and science from Alcorn State University and a master’s degree in health, physical education, and recreation and sports management with a minor in sports administration from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La.

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