Howard’s Game-Changer: Janice Pettyjohn’s Winning Play
Janice Pettyjohn is making major moves at Howard University—again. In 2022, she became the first woman to land a full-time role with the Bison football program. Now, just three years later, she’s stepped into a powerful new position: Director of Player Personnel and On-Campus Recruiting.
Pettyjohn has helped guide the team to back-to-back MEAC titles in 2022 and 2023, earning high praise from Head Coach Larry Scott.
“She created this role through pure hustle and dedication,” he said. “She’s become someone we rely on.”
One of her key priorities? Keeping local talent from the DMV area—D.C., Maryland, and Virginia—right at home.
“We want our homegrown stars to play for their hometown HBCU,” she shared.
But her impact isn’t limited to recruiting. Players like Darius Fox, a senior offensive lineman, say Pettyjohn has been like family. “She helped me stay focused, not just on the game but on life. She brought us together as a unit.”
Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed beyond Howard. In 2025, the NFL invited her to its Women’s Forum—a pipeline for women aiming to lead in football. From managing her middle school team to influencing a Division I program, Pettyjohn’s path proves there’s room for women at every level of the game—and that HBCUs are growing the next generation of leaders.
