WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State University Athletics Department has announced the addition of four new members to its athletics staff, bringing a combination of professional experience, leadership and strong connections to the Ram community.

The department welcomes Tristian "TJ" Gunter as Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, Sierra Agnew as Assistant Athletic Trainer, Douglas Robertson as Assistant Men's Basketball Coach, and Brandi Hopson as Assistant Cheer Coach.

The additions strengthen the Rams' athletics staff across communications, sports medicine, men's basketball and cheer while adding professionals with experience at the collegiate, professional and NCAA Division I levels.

Tristian "TJ" Gunter — Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
Tristian "TJ" Gunter joins Winston-Salem State University Athletics as the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, bringing experience in athletic communications, media relations, digital content and game-day operations.

Gunter was named the 2025-26 CIAA Sports Information Director of the Year, becoming one of the youngest recipients of the conference's annual honor.

Prior to joining WSSU, Gunter served as the Media Relations Coordinator at Bowie State University, where he was a primary media contact for 13 NCAA Division II sports and managed athletic communications efforts including website content, statistics, press releases, social media and event coverage.

Gunter earned his degree in Business Administration with a minor in Entrepreneurship from Bluefield State University in December 2024. During his time at Bluefield State, he was a two-time football team captain, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president and CIAA Northern Division SAAC vice president. He also gained experience as a Sports Information Director student assistant, supporting media operations, statistics, digital content and promotional efforts throughout the department.

Gunter currently serves as vice president of the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association. He brings a strong passion for storytelling, student-athlete promotion and advancing the visibility of HBCU athletics to his new role with the Rams.

Sierra Agnew — Assistant Athletic Trainer
Sierra Agnew returns to Winston-Salem State University as an Assistant Athletic Trainer, primarily serving the Rams' football and track and field programs.

A native of Prince George's County, Maryland, Agnew is a proud WSSU alumna who earned her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science in 2024. During her time at WSSU, she was a member of the university's Student Athletic Training Staff and was recognized as the program's 2024 Rookie of the Year.

Agnew was also heavily involved throughout the WSSU community as a member of the Powerhouse of Red and White, Epiphany Modeling Troupe and Legacy Leaders. Through those experiences, she developed valuable leadership, teamwork, communication and service skills while gaining firsthand experience supporting student-athletes and understanding the culture of WSSU Athletics.

Following graduation, Agnew continued her education at High Point University, where she earned a Master of Science in Athletic Training. Her graduate clinical experiences included Dudley High School, Greensboro College, Murphy Wainer Orthopedic Specialists, UNC football and UNC gymnastics.

Those experiences provided Agnew with hands-on training in injury prevention, evaluation and assessment, rehabilitation, emergency care and the day-to-day health care needs of student-athletes across a variety of sports and competitive levels.

Agnew returns to WSSU with advanced clinical training, a diverse sports medicine background and a unique understanding of the university from both the student and athletic training perspectives.

Douglas Robertson — Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Douglas Robertson joins Winston-Salem State University Athletics as an Assistant Men's Basketball Coach, bringing more than two decades of collegiate coaching, leadership and administrative experience.

Robertson has served as a head women's basketball coach at Fort Valley State University, South Carolina State University and Bowie State University, earning multiple postseason appearances, division finishes and all-conference honors. During his tenure at Bowie State, Robertson was named CIAA Coach of the Year.

He also previously served as an assistant coach at Delaware State University and held the role of Acting Interim Athletic Director at South Carolina State, giving him extensive experience in recruiting, player development, game strategy, academic oversight, budgeting and program operations.

A graduate of Bowie State University, Robertson earned a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a Master of Public Administration.

Throughout his career, Robertson has remained committed to developing student-athletes on and off the court while building strong programs centered around accountability, academic achievement and competitive success. He brings that experience to Winston-Salem State as he joins the Rams' men's basketball coaching staff.

Brandi Hopson — Assistant Cheer Coach
Brandi Hopson returns to Winston-Salem State University as an Assistant Cheer Coach, bringing extensive collegiate and professional cheerleading experience to the Powerhouse of Red and White.

A Greensboro, North Carolina, native and proud WSSU alumna, Hopson was a member of the Powerhouse of Red and White during her time at the university. She continued her cheerleading career at the professional level, spending four seasons as a Carolina Panthers TopCat and earning selection as a 2025 Pro Bowl Cheerleader.

Hopson was also recently crowned Ms. Black USA 2026, adding another accomplishment to a career centered on leadership, service, performance and personal excellence.

Her experiences at the collegiate and professional levels have provided a strong foundation in performance, discipline, leadership and mentorship. Hopson now returns to the program that helped shape her, bringing her experience and passion back to Ram Country while embracing her role as a mother of two.

The addition of Gunter, Agnew, Robertson and Hopson represents WSSU Athletics' continued commitment to strengthening its staff with talented professionals who understand the importance of student-athlete development, competitive excellence and the WSSU experience.

For more information on Winston-Salem State Athletics and its 12 varsity sports, visit wssurams.com.