Mercer Athletic Director Jim Cole steps down; Bears picked to win SoCon

Mercer Athletic Director Jim Cole, who led the school’s athletics for more than 15 years over a period that saw Mercer build one of the top FCS football programs in the country, will step down from the position, the school announced Wednesday.

Brian Gerrity, who was previously Deputy Athletic Director and Executive Director of the Mercer Athletic Foundation, will succeed Cole in the role.

Under Cole, who took on the role in 2010, Mercer brought football back in 2013 and set an NCAA record with a 10-2 inaugural season. The Bears went on to join the Southern Conference — a major change from the A-Sun, where Mercer was a fixture for more than 30 years — and win back-to-back football championships in 2024 and 2025.

Cole also presided over arguably Mercer’s most notable athletic achievement, an NCAA tournament basketball victory over Duke, a huge upset that brought the school national attention.

Overall, Mercer has advanced to NCAA postseason play in 10 sports, captured multiple conference championships, and expanded to 18 intercollegiate programs under Cole, who was a Mercer athlete himself. Cole played baseball for the Bears.

“To be able to come back to my alma mater, where I was an athlete, and serve our coaches, players and alumni as athletics director for 16 years has been a dream come true,” said Cole.

Mercer football picked to win SoCon

Mercer’s football team was picked to win the Southern Conference yet again in this year’s preseason polls, the SoCon announced last week.

The Bears just edged conference newcomer Tennessee Tech with 76 total points and six first-place votes from SoCon coaches. 

Should Mercer win the conference outright as they did in 2024 and 2025, it would be the first SoCon three-peat in more than 40 years. If they shared the championship, it would be the first such streak since Appalachian State did it in 2010.

Mercer won the title and made the FCS playoffs both of the past two seasons and will try to continue that success under new coach Joel Taylor, a former Mercer defensive coordinator returning from West Georgia to take the helm this season.

Senior wide receiver and return specialist Brayden Smith will be key for Mercer’s efforts. Smith was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year in the preseason polls. He was also named to the preseason watchlist for the prestigious Walter Payton Award. The Macon native and Tattnall alum finished with 1,267 all-purpose yards last year.

Smith was also named the Preseason All-Conference first team wide receiver and return man. Four other bears — defensive lineman Kobe McInnis, linebacker Jyarius Carter and offensive linemen Brody Balliew and Tyler Murray — on the first team.

Mercer opens the season with a game against East Texas A&M on Aug. 29 in Macon. SoCon play begins with a home matchup against Furman on Sept. 12.

Mercer hires new lacrosse coach

Mercer named James Chakey, a former Penn State player and longtime defensive coordinator, as its new lacrosse head coach last week, the school announced.

Chakey has previous stops as a DC at Brown, High Point and Washington College on his resume. 

While Brown only went 6-7 last season in Chakey’s final run as DC, the squad did face five Top 10 teams and boast the No. 38 schedule RPI in the NCAA. Even with that schedule, Brown’s defense played very well, giving up the second-fewest goals in the Ivy League.

“This program has passionate alumni, great families and an incredible support system within the Mercer athletics department. There is great talent in the locker room that I am excited to help develop on the field, in the classroom and in the community,” Chakey said in a press release. “I am looking forward to hitting the ground running while showing the country that Mercer is a sleeping giant! The academics and facilities are exceptional, but the people are what makes Mercer so special. I’d like to thank Athletics Director Jim Cole and Deputy Athletics Director Brian Gerrity for this incredible opportunity. My wife Megan, my son JT and I are beyond excited to experience what Mercer has to offer.”