By Megan Evans

After graduating from Glenville in 1987, alum Jesse Skiles made his way back to the hills of Glenville to step into the role of Athletic Director in 2018. Originally a Charleston native, Skiles came to what at the time was Glenville State College to study English while running track and cross country. After this he found his love for coaching and left his mark as a track and cross country coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

In his lifetime, Skiles has earned 64 conference championships and has received the coach of the year award 53 times. Today, Jesse can almost always be found inside of the Waco Center where he is constantly working with what he calls the crazy world of athletics  Between helping athletes and coaches, consistent wins, and trying to keep tabs on every single sporting event, Jesse is always on the move.

As he reflected on “that Friday night in Birmingham” when the Women’s Basketball Team won the school's first ever National Championship Title, Skiles admits that he could have never anticipated the win of a National Championship during his time as Athletic Director. He recounts this as one of his top favorite moments.

If you’re ever lucky enough to catch Skiles outside of the busy Waco center, ask him about his book. I’m sure not many Athletic Directors have written their own book, but Jesse has written one on what it was like growing up here between the hills of West Virginia. As an English major, he admits that he loves writing. However, the world of coaching and athletics will always be his home

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