Hollins University

David Zinn is Hollins' director of athletics and chair of the university’s physical education department. He is responsible for the management and administration of all aspects of the intercollegiate athletic program including strategic planning, budgeting, compliance, personnel management, marketing, department fundraising, and supporting the coaches in the recruitment and retention of student athletes.

Zinn came to Hollins with experience in athletics at two other women’s colleges. He arrived in Roanoke from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pa., after serving as director of athletics and NCAA compliance coordinator for nine NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports. Prior to his stint at Chatham, Zinn served as an assistant professor of health, exercise, and sports science, assistant athletics coordinator, academic advisor, and strength and conditioning coach at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. for six years. Zinn also served as Meredith’s head basketball coach for five seasons, garnering NCAA Division III Association of Independents Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and leading the program to its first-ever postseason championship at the Association of Independents Northeast Championship in 2005-06.

He has also served as the head women’s basketball coach and sports information director at NCAA Division II Salem International University (W.Va.), and was an assistant coach on a nationally-ranked Cumberland College (Ky.) women’s basketball program that went 48-18 over 2 seasons and reached the Sweet 16 of the NAIA National Tournament in 2001. Zinn also has coached internationally with programs in Italy, Australia, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic.

A facilitator at the NCAA’s first Career in Sports Forum and named as one of the 2011 Sport Ethics Fellows by the Institute for International Sport, Zinn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education at West Virginia University and a Master of Science degree in human performance and sport studies at the University of Tennessee. He also completed a Master of Arts degree in secondary education at Cumberland College.