University of Memphis Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine
- Email:
- dmtrner3@memphis.edu
- Phone:
- 901-678-2847
Darrell Turner serves as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine at the University of Memphis, where he provides executive leadership for the department’s integrated performance and wellness model. In his role, Turner oversees Sports Nutrition, Athletic Performance, Sports Medicine, Sports Science and Athletic Mental Performance, ensuring a collaborative, student-athlete–centered approach to health, safety, and competitive excellence. He also serves as the secondary sport administrator for the women’s golf program and as the primary sports medicine contact for men’s basketball and men’s golf.
Turner joined Memphis Athletics in the spring of 2012 as Head Athletic Trainer and has been a key contributor to the department’s sustained competitive success. During his tenure, teams under his medical leadership have captured multiple conference championships, including football titles in 2014 and 2019 and men’s basketball championships in 2023 and 2025, along with numerous postseason appearances.
Throughout his tenure at Memphis, Turner has held progressive leadership responsibilities while maintaining a continuous role as the department’s Athletics Healthcare Administrator since 2017. In this capacity, he provides oversight of healthcare operations, policy development, risk management and coordination of medical services in alignment with NCAA and conference standards. Turner has been instrumental in advancing the department’s holistic performance infrastructure, including the expansion of integrated nutrition services, sports science and screening initiatives, mental health and wellness programming and comprehensive emergency action and safety protocols.
Turner is nationally recognized for his leadership within collegiate athletics and sports medicine. He served as President of the American Conference Sports Medicine Committee (2023–25) and as a member of the American Conference Medical Advisory Committee (2020–25). He also serves on the University of Memphis Administrative Senior Staff and has contributed at the professional level as a medical spotter for professional football, remaining actively engaged in conference-wide governance and athlete safety initiatives.
Prior to arriving at Memphis, Turner spent three seasons in the United Football League (UFL) as Head Athletic Trainer with the Virginia Destroyers and the California Redwoods/Sacramento Mountain Lions. He also served as Director of Sports Medicine at Winston-Salem State University and held roles with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Winthrop University and South Sumter High School.
Turner earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science with a specialization in Athletic Training from the University of Florida and a Master’s degree in Recreation with a concentration in Sport Management from the University of Arkansas. He is a certified and licensed athletic trainer and holds multiple advanced certifications in sports rehabilitation, manual therapy and performance enhancement.
His professional excellence has been recognized through numerous honors, including the University of Memphis Harriet R. Montgomery Service Excellence Award, TIAA Division Excellence Awards and the Dr. Jeffrey Anderson Humanitarian Award for Excellence in Sports Medicine, presented by the American Conference.
He and his wife, Megan have a daughter, Joley.
