Charlie Cobb enters his 12th year as Director of Athletics at Georgia State and his 21st year as a Division I athletics director, continuing to lead the transformation of Panther Athletics on campus and throughout the city of Atlanta.
Since arriving at Georgia State in August 2014, Cobb has overseen unprecedented growth in facilities, competitive success and student-athlete support while implementing the department's strategic vision centered on Academic Achievement, Competitive Greatness, Ethical Behavior, Social Responsibility and Community Engagement.
In 2026, Georgia State unveiled a new five-year vision for Panther Athletics, developed in partnership with President M. Brian Blake, focused on elevating the student-athlete experience, expanding revenue-sharing and NIL opportunities, enhancing fan engagement and continuing the development of the Summerhill athletics district. The plan includes ambitious goals for competitive success, fundraising and facility development while positioning Georgia State to thrive in the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics.
Under Cobb's leadership, Georgia State student-athletes have continued to excel in the classroom. The Panthers have twice earned the Sun Belt Conference Institutional Graduation Award and have consistently posted department-wide grade point averages above 3.0.
Georgia State has also enjoyed sustained competitive success during Cobb's tenure, capturing numerous Sun Belt Conference championships, making regular NCAA Championship appearances across multiple sports and producing record-setting performances on the national stage. His leadership has guided the department through one of the most successful eras in school history while continuing to invest in championship-caliber programs.
One of Cobb's signature achievements has been helping lead the acquisition and redevelopment of the former Turner Field property into Center Parc Credit Union Stadium and Georgia State's growing athletics neighborhood. Since football moved into its permanent home in 2017, the university has completed the Football Operations Center, the GSU Soccer Complex, the Bobby Jones Golf Instruction Facility and the Georgia State Convocation Center. The athletics district continues to expand with the construction of a new baseball stadium and future facility enhancements planned throughout Summerhill.
Cobb currently serves on the NCAA Division I Council and has previously served on the College Football Playoff Management Committee, helping shape the future of intercollegiate athletics at the national level.
Before returning to Atlanta in 2014, Cobb spent nine years as Director of Athletics at Appalachian State University. During his tenure, the Mountaineers captured three consecutive Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national championships, the first three-peat in FCS history, while winning eight consecutive Southern Conference Commissioner's Cups and four Germann Cups. He also oversaw more than $50 million in athletics facility improvements, highlighted by the construction of the Appalachian Athletics Center and new facilities for baseball, softball, soccer and indoor practice.
Prior to Appalachian State, Cobb spent six years with the Atlanta Sports Council, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Georgia Dome before returning to his alma mater, NC State, where he served in athletics administration for seven years.
A four-year football letterwinner at NC State, Cobb graduated with honors in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in business administration before earning a master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 1992. As a senior center, he earned Second Team All-ACC honors, was a four-time Academic All-ACC selection and received the ACC's prestigious Jim Tatum Award, presented annually to the conference's senior football student-athlete with the highest grade point average.
Charlie and his wife, Lindsay, have two children. Harrison earned degrees from Hampden-Sydney College and Ohio University, where he completed dual master's degrees in business administration and sports administration. Branan is a graduate of Centre College and Vanderbilt University. Lindsay, a former All-ACC goalkeeper at NC State, serves as an assistant women's soccer coach at Emory University.
