#Joe April 21

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Dr. Joseph B. Oxendine passed away on Tuesday April 14, 2020 he was Chancellor Emeritus at UNC Pembroke. His funeral services were held yesterday online. One of the many changes to our world thanks to COVID 19.

JOE Oxendine was also an amazing man and took great pride in his level of physical fitness. He was well into his 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s performing feats that most college students could not complete. Whether it was running, cycling, golfing, or kayaking he was an active man. I also have to say that on the golf course he had the uncanny ability to hit a tree and still make par. He coined those scores “barkies” and when you played golf with him those were side bets you were going to lose.

He came to UNC Pembroke in 1989. At that time I was serving as men’s basketball coach at UNCP. I remained at Pembroke for three years after Chancellor Oxendine arrived and we became friends. In fact in 1992 when I left for Winthrop University to be Head Basketball Coach he strongly asked me to reconsider and stay. I had coaching wanderlust and wanted to experience what NCAA Division I coaching was like.

In 1998 after 6 seasons at Winthrop I found myself out of a job for not winning enough games. The two first calls I got while I was unemployed were Dr. Ray Pennington and Chancellor JOE Oxendine. They both inquired if I had any interest in returning to UNCP to become the Athletic Director.

Ray was currently the AD and indicated he like to return to the faculty in the UNC Phased Retirement program and Chancellor Oxendine wanted me to apply. He didn’t promise anything but he told me he wanted me to consider it. It took me a couple of months to sort out if I wanted to be an AD or remain a coach. In April and May 1998 I flirted with a possible part-time assistant coaching job with the Charlotte Sting (WNBA) and the Head Coaching Job at Winona State. Neither of those positions materialized so I decided to become an applicant at UNCP.

Well in August 1998 I started my third career at UNC Pembroke reporting directly to Chancellor JOE Oxendine serving as the university’s Director of Athletics. I have always been indebted to the loyalty that Dr. Oxendine has shown our family and to me specifically. I realize that I would not be where I am at today professionally if he didn’t take a leap of faith and trust that a novice like Dan Kenney could lead an athletic department.

I hadn’t completed two months on the job when I was summoned to the Chancellor Oxendine’s Office to meet with him. I was fretting during my walk to his office that I had somehow already screwed up just two months in a new position. I got to his office and I was informed that Chancellor Oxendine was going to retire on June 30, 1999. He challenged me to keep working on a comprehensive plan to elevate the athletic department. It was advice I followed.

I got to be with Joe Oxendine on February 26, 2020 when I got to join him and other current and former UNCP Chancellors for a dinner. We also surprised JOE with a birthday cake for his upcoming 90th birthday which he celebrated on March 31st.

I cherish the photos below

Presenting Joe Oxendine with a cake for his 90th Birthday.

Rest In Peace JOE.