Grant Stepp

Grant Stepp

  • Title
    Director of Athletics
 
Grant Stepp serves as Director of Athletics at Kentucky State University. Appointed on April 22, 2024, Stepp leads the overall direction of the Thorobreds’ athletics department, with oversight of athletic administration, sport programs, student-athlete support, external engagement, revenue generation and community relations.
 
Early in his tenure, Stepp has helped lead a period of facility growth, competitive success and operational advancement for Kentucky State Athletics through strategic partnerships, fundraising initiatives and enhanced external engagement. Under his leadership, the department has significantly increased financial support through donors, sponsors and partnerships, including a 200% increase in support during his early tenure.
 
Stepp has also helped guide significant facility enhancements across the department. At Alumni Stadium, Kentucky State added a new state-of-the-art video board and upgraded sound system, enhancing the game day experience for student-athletes, fans and the broader campus community.
 
That facility momentum continued inside the William Exum Center, where Kentucky State completed several key upgrades, including the installation of a new playing court, basketball goals, digital scorer’s table and team bench seating. The addition of a mobile netting system also allowed Kentucky State volleyball to return to the Exum Center for competition and training.
 
Kentucky State also made improvements to historic Bell Gymnasium, where a refinished floor enhanced the facility’s functionality as an additional practice space for basketball and volleyball. The upgrades reflect Stepp’s commitment to strengthening athletic facilities while improving the daily experience for Kentucky State student-athletes and coaches.
 
Under Stepp’s leadership, Kentucky State Athletics has continued to emphasize academic achievement and student-athlete well-being. The department expanded resources to support student-athletes in the classroom, helping contribute to a historic academic year highlighted by two student-athletes earning the university’s top academic honors: ZhakeYa Hawkins as valedictorian and Keon Henderson as salutatorian.
 
Competitively, Stepp’s early tenure has been marked by several historic achievements across Kentucky State Athletics. The Thorobreds football program earned the first NCAA Division II playoff appearance in program history and completed one of its best seasons in nearly a century, elevating the department’s visibility across the SIAC, the region and the national Division II landscape.
 
Kentucky State also saw individual and team success across multiple programs. In men’s golf, Robert Johnson was named a 2026 Black College Golf Coaches Association HBCU All-American, while Micah Stangebye captured the 2025 SIAC Men’s Golf Championship individual title and was named the 2025 SIAC Men’s Golf Player of the Year. In track and field, Yumana Lofton qualified for the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championship, and the women’s track and field program won the 2025 inaugural HBCU National Indoor Track and Field Championship.
 
Stepp brings more than 14 years of collegiate athletics administration experience to Kentucky State, with a professional background rooted in development, external operations, ticketing, event management, donor engagement, sport oversight and revenue strategy. His experience across multiple areas of athletic administration provides a broad foundation for leading a comprehensive athletics department.
 
Before arriving at Kentucky State, Stepp spent nine years at Eastern Kentucky University, where he served as Associate Athletic Director and was heavily involved in fundraising, external revenue generation, donor relations, the Colonel Club, major gifts and premium seating. During his tenure, he helped secure more than $6 million in private support for EKU athletics while playing a key role in expanding donor engagement and strengthening relationships with alumni, fans and supporters. From fiscal year 2019 through fiscal year 2024, EKU athletics experienced growth in total fundraising, gifts and donors, reflecting Stepp’s impact in development and external operations.
 
In addition to his work in fundraising and external engagement, Stepp held sport oversight responsibilities at Eastern Kentucky, including oversight of men’s and women’s cross country and track and field. During that time, EKU programs captured multiple Ohio Valley Conference championships, while the men’s cross country program placed 16th at the 2018 NCAA Division I National Cross Country Championship.
 
Prior to his time at Eastern Kentucky, Stepp served in ticket operations and event/game day operations at Western Kentucky University. From 2011 to 2015, he was WKU’s Ticket Operations Manager, overseeing daily financial accounting, annual budgeting and internal audits for the Hilltopper ticket operation. He previously served as Coordinator of Event/Game Day Operations from 2009 to 2011, helping manage the planning, logistics and execution of athletic events.
 
A native of Versailles, Kentucky, Stepp has built a career deeply connected to collegiate athletics across the commonwealth. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Kentucky University in 2006 and a master’s degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky University in 2010. His background in finance, fundraising, operations and sport administration continues to guide his leadership of Kentucky State University athletics.