Staff Directory

Todd Edwards

Title:
Senior Associate AD/Executive Director of Student-Athlete Support Services
Email:
Phone:
355-6607

In his 23rd year at MSU and 38th year overall in intercollegiate athletics, Todd Edwards was named Executive Director of Student-Athlete Support Services in 2016 and was promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director/Executive Director of Student-Athlete Support Services in 2026. He previously served a long stint as Director of Academic Services for Student-Athletes as well as head academic coordinator for the Spartan football program. He oversees academic services for MSU’s 23 varsity sport programs, which includes detailed monitoring of degree progress and eligibility. The SASS unit also coordinates career services and community outreach for all Spartan student-athletes.

Over the last 20-plus seasons (2004-25), Spartan football has produced 493 Academic All-Big Ten selections, including a program-record 51 in 2025. MSU had a Big Ten-best 18 Academic All-Big Ten selections in 2005, and 17 during MSU’s Big Ten and Rose Bowl Championship season in 2013. During that time, the Spartans have also had 11 selections to the Academic All-America team. Edwards played an integral role in helping more than 240 student-athletes graduate under former MSU head coach Mark Dantonio, who retired in February 2020 as the winningest coach in the history of the program and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Overall, Spartan student-athletes have performed at an increasingly high level over the past decade, highlighted by the fact that the department has posted 31 consecutive semesters over a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average.

Michigan State student-athletes continue to set records for academic achievement in the classroom. Following the spring 2026 semester, Spartans posted the highest all-time department cumulative GPA of 3.5135. It marked the first time in department history that the cumulative GPA has topped a 3.5. It’s also the 31st consecutive semester over a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
In addition, the spring semester GPA of 3.4603 is the second-best semester in department history, just shy of the record 3.4616 in Fall 2024. MSU Athletics has now posted 27 straight semesters over a 3.0 semester GPA.

Four programs (field hockey, women’s track & field, women’s tennis and volleyball) posted their highest cumulative GPA in program history, while nine more programs (women’s basketball, women’s cross country, gymnastics, hockey, rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball and men’s track & field) recorded their highest post-spring cumulative GPA. Six teams delivered their best-ever spring semester GPA (women’s basketball, women’s cross country, gymnastics, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and wrestling) and four posted their highest semester of either term in program history (field hockey, football, women’s track & field and volleyball).

In addition, 349 student-athletes were recognized on the Academic All-Big Ten team in 2025-26, including 25 honorees with perfect 4.0 GPAs, and 151 earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors.

Edwards coordinated several events celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athletic Academic Center in 2023-24. Since its opening in 1998, the cumulative GPA of the department has risen from 2.87 to its current record GPA of 3.5135.

On a national level, Michigan State student-athletes once again demonstrated their excellence in the classroom as the Spartans posted a four-year Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) of 81%, according to data released by the NCAA on Nov. 19, 2025. The 81% ties the highest mark in department history, matching the rate from 2023. It marks the fifth straight year at 80% or better. MSU’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 90% is just two percent below the school’s all-time high of 92%. This year’s data includes the 2015-16 to 2018-19 freshman cohorts for the four-year totals and 2018-19 for the single-year rate.

Michigan State’s four-year FGR (81%) ranks third in the Big Ten and eighth among Power 4 conference peers, ranking fourth among public institutions in that group. Three sports posted a perfect four-year FGR of 100%, including women’s soccer, men’s tennis, and volleyball. The single-year FGR of 81% is tied for the third-highest mark in department history.

The student-athletes’ success in the classroom closely mirrors the academic achievements of MSU’s student body. Of the Power 4 institutions with an all-student FGR of 80% or more, Michigan State is one of just eight whose student-athletes also had a rate of at least 80%. In fact, Spartan student-athletes posted the closest differential to the student body.

Seven sports posted a perfect 100% GSR, including women’s golf, gymnastics, women’s soccer, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, and volleyball.

The FGR is the proportion of first-year, full-time student-athletes who entered a school on athletics aid and graduated from that institution within six years. This federal rate does not account for students who transfer from their original institution and graduate elsewhere. The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation provides a more accurate look at student-athlete success.

Michigan State has placed three student-athletes in the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Class (Kirk Cousins in 2011; Max Bullough in 2013; Mike Sadler in 2014) during Edwards’ tenure, and Spartan football players have earned Academic All-America honors 11 times since his arrival in 2004, most recently in 2018 as Cole Chewins garnered All-America accolades for the second consecutive year. Sadler, MSU’s first four-time Academic All-American, was a finalist for the 2014 William V. Campbell Trophy (nation’s top scholar-athlete). Bullough also earned first-team Academic All-America accolades in 2013 following his second-team selection in 2012. In 2009, Blair White became the program’s first Academic All-America First Team selection since 1993 with his 3.89 GPA in human biology. Two other former Spartan leaders, center Chris Morris and quarterback Drew Stanton, also received second-team Academic All-America accolades in 2005. In addition, seven Spartans (Stanton, White, Cousins, Sadler, Jack Allen, Josiah Price and Khari Willis) have earned the Big Ten’s highest award, the Conference Medal of Honor, for outstanding athletic and academic achievement.

Prior to arriving in East Lansing, Edwards served as academic coordinator for the football program at Colorado State (1998-2004). During his time there, the Rams had 78 Academic All-Conference selections as well as six Academic All-America picks. The Rams also enjoyed considerable success on the field, winning three Mountain West Conference titles (1999, 2000, 2002) and earning five consecutive bowl bids (1999-2003).

From 1989-97, Edwards coached football in various positions at Southern Illinois, Colorado State, Oklahoma, South Dakota Tech and Westmar (Iowa).

A native of Stroud, Oklahoma, Edwards earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics in 1989 from Tabor College (Kansas), where he was a three-year starter as a defensive lineman. He holds an M. Ed. in education and human resource studies from Colorado State University. Edwards is a member of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A) where he formerly served on the Board of Directors as Region III Director. He’s also a member of the National Football Foundation.

Edwards is married to the former Kari Clifford of Sioux City, Iowa, and they have five children.