Illinois Hires Liz Reyes As Assistant AD For Student-Athlete Development

The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has hired Liz Reyes as the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has hired Liz Reyes as the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development. 

Reyes will have oversight and leadership of the Illini Way Student-Athlete Development program, charged with the holistic support and development of Fighting Illini student-athletes in all aspects of their experiences as collegiate student-athletes. Additionally, she’ll serve as a member of the DIA Senior Administrative Staff and on the leadership team of DIA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

“We are thrilled to welcome Liz to the Fighting Illini Family during what is a critical time in the student-athlete support services space,” Brian Russell, Illinois Associate Athletic Director of Academic Services and Student-Athlete Development said. “Liz is a rising star in the student-athlete development world and has gained a depth of experiences at both the collegiate and NFL levels which will aid the immediate positive impact she’ll have on the lives of Illini student-athletes. In this leadership position, Liz will continue our efforts to stay on an incredible trajectory within the Illini Way program as we carry out the DIA mission to Unify, Develop, Inspire and Achieve while impacting student-athletes at a high-level in supporting them during their collegiate careers and preparing them for life after sport.”

Reyes joins the Illinois staff from the Cleveland Browns, where she was the Manager of Community and Alumni Relations. Prior to the Browns, she worked in the Office of Student-Athlete Success at the University of Arkansas where she most recently served as the Assistant Director – Employer Relations for the Student-Athlete Development program. In this role, Reyes equipped student-athletes for their professional careers and supported their post-graduation placement.

Before working in student-athlete development, Reyes served in various capacities within academic support at Arkansas as the Assistant Director for Academics – Football. Prior to her stint at the University of Arkansas, Reyes served as an Academic Counselor for Men’s and Women’s Track and Field at Baylor University in Waco, Texas and she began her career in multiple capacities over a five-year period within Student-Athlete Academic Services at the University of Washington.

Reyes is an active member of the National Association of Academic & Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A) and Women Leaders in College Sports (WLCS). In June 2020, Reyes was named N4A Chair of the Student-Athlete Development Programs and Practices Committee. She is a two-time N4A Professional Development Institute graduate, completing the Leader/Manager and New Practitioner tracks.

She is also a two-time Women Leaders in College Sports (WLCS) scholarship recipient, a former WLCS Mentor, and selected member of the 2018 Membership and Awards Committees and 2017 Local Organizing Committee.

A native of Tri-Cities, Washington, Reyes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Education in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership from the University of Washington. She graduated from the NCAA Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute in 2019 and earned the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association Rudy Keeling Postgraduate Scholarship in 2018. Reyes is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Sport Management from the UA and examining women in leadership at the Division I FBS level and resides in Champaign.