In Carrollton, Georgia, the University of West Georgia is learning what it means to climb.
Not metaphorically. Not leisurely. But steadily — through turbulence, turnover and transition — from the predictable, maybe even safe world of Division II into the uncharted terrain of Division I athletics.
When Jason Carmichael arrived as athletic director in April 2021, he inherited an athletic department with a proud tradition, a loyal fan base, and a question that had quietly lingered for years…
Could West Georgia take the next step?
By 2023, that question became a decision. West Georgia announced its reclassification to Division I and membership in the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic Conference model, marking the start of an aggressive and bold move for the university and its athletics department. The shift wasn’t impulsive nor rushed. In fact, it was nearly a decade in the making.
“There was a version of this conversation around 2013 or 2014,” Carmichael said. “There was energy, even some money raised back then. But it paused. When I arrived, we weren’t even talking about Division I. What really started it again was football scheduling.”
The Gulf South Conference — West Georgia’s long-time Division II home — began to shrink. Non-conference games were harder to find, travel costs ballooned, and the regional map told a clear story: the Southeast was moving toward Division I.
“There’s only one Division II school in Florida,” Carmichael said. “We were spending money flying to Texas just to fill schedules. It got to the point where we had to ask what the long-term play was.”
The university did a feasibility study, and the numbers confirmed what intuition already suggested — staying in Division II would soon cost as much as moving up.
So they made the leap.
That leap didn’t come easy. The announcement was made in September 2023, but within a year, the president who hired Carmichael, Dr. Brendan Kelly, left to become chancellor of the Arkansas State University System.
“It should be illegal to have an interim president during a Division I move,” Carmichael joked. “That vertical alignment — from president to AD to coaches — is everything. You can have a plan and a budget, but the surprises come fast. Without stability, it’s hard.”
West Georgia now has that stability. Its new president, Dr. Michael Johnson, brings permanent leadership and alignment that Carmichael calls “absolutely game changing.” The partnership between the campus and athletics is stronger than it has ever been, which matters in an environment where small missteps can stall years of progress.
Carmichael, a former basketball coach, doesn’t sugarcoat the challenge.
“This job isn’t for everyone,” he said. “But if you like being tested, if you want to help build something from the ground up, this is the place.”
Since the move, West Georgia has adopted what Carmichael calls a “median model” — an unapologetically pragmatic approach to growth. Instead of chasing top-tier budgets or flashy upgrades, the goal is to bring each sport and staff structure to the median of its Division I peers over time and then take it to the next level.
“Our goal has been to reach the median across our peer set — schools like North Alabama, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas,” he said. “We’re not trying to sprint. This is a 10-year move, not a 10-month one.”
Coaches hear that message often. Some might roll their eyes at the word median, but the transparency helps. It sets a tempo that’s aggressive yet realistic — and it gives Carmichael time to build a foundation instead of chasing shortcuts. Shortcuts that often derail the overall structure of a move to big-time athletics.
As he puts it, “Great coaches can overcome a lot, but it’s our job as an administration to keep closing the gap.”
That same intentionality extends beyond budgets. In Carrollton, where college loyalties are often divided among Georgia, Auburn, and Georgia Tech, West Georgia is staking its own claim.
“We’re just saying it out loud now,” Carmichael said. “This is West Georgia territory. We know there are Auburn and Georgia fans here — even some of our alums are. However, we tell them that your investment here is ten times more impactful than at those schools. If you want what you see in Athens ten years from now, plant the seed here today.”
That grassroots campaign is starting to gain momentum. Donors who once treated UWG as a secondary passion project are becoming primary stakeholders. Attendance is up, branding is sharper, and the department’s messaging — anchored around legacy — resonates.
“These are legacy opportunities,” Carmichael said. “When Georgia Southern made the jump, those first athletes became part of school history. We’re offering that same chance. Be the first class to compete at this level. Leave your mark here.”
The early returns have been promising. Football’s competitive start has drawn national curiosity and interest, but West Georgia’s rise isn’t limited to one sport. Its cheerleading program remains nationally recognized, and Olympic sports are showing flashes of what’s possible with more resources and reach.
Still, Carmichael’s focus is less about today’s record and more about tomorrow’s repeatability.
“Sustainability is the next phase,” he said. “We’re building the plane as we fly. Some of our coaches are still learning how to recruit at this level. Some rosters are still a mix and blend of rosters. Our job is to make sure that when success happens — and it will — the next person has what they need to keep it going.”
That philosophy applies to football coach Joel Taylor, whose rapid impact Carmichael calls “maestro-level.”
“I can’t tell you the next person will be able to navigate it like Joel has,” he said. “So we have to build systems that make success sustainable. We don’t have the luxury of over-resourcing our way out of problems. We have to be smart, steady, and strategic.”
Part of that strategy is looking ahead. West Georgia continues to evaluate conference alignment, explore new sport additions such as women’s flag football, and prepare for revenue-sharing structures that reclassified programs can’t yet access.
“Right now, we can’t opt into the revenue share model,” Carmichael said. “So we’re watching closely, preparing for 2027 when that changes. We want to be ready the moment it’s possible.”
The climb hasn’t been all work, though the line between work and life blurs often for Carmichael. A father of four — ages nine through 14 — he admits balance is aspirational at best.
“My wife would tell you not to put me on a panel about work-life balance,” he laughed. “I love the job, but it consumes me. This is my fifth time as an AD. I’ve seen a lot, but this challenge — this climb — is different. I think about it all the time.”
His wife notices too. “She’ll catch me staring off during the kids’ games,” he said. “She’ll say, ‘You’re thinking about work again, aren’t you?’ And usually, she’s right.”
For Carmichael, that obsession comes from purpose. “This is not a short-term move,” he stresses. “Some of the people here now might not see the full result. But if we do this right, what we build will outlast all of us.”
That long horizon might seem daunting in an industry obsessed with instant results. But for West Georgia, patience is a competitive advantage. Admissions are up — first-year applications jumped from 6,634 in 2020 to 10,439 in 2024 — and athletic ambition now mirrors institutional momentum.
UWG has evolved from a rural agricultural school into a comprehensive public university with doctoral programs, competitive athletics, and a growing national footprint.
Carmichael knows the climb isn’t done. But he’s fine with that.
“This job isn’t easy,” he said. “It’s not supposed to be. But when you’re part of building something — when you can see the altitude gain — that’s what makes it worth it.”
In Carrollton, that climb continues.
