Story by Kevin Juday, Elmhurst College
ELMHURST, Ill. -- Elmhurst College has announced that Wendy McManus will be the College's new director of athletics. McManus, who has spent the past three years as the associate director of athletics for internal operations/senior woman administrator at Minot State University in North Dakota, will begin her new role in July.
McManus was selected to guide the Bluejay athletic program after Paul Krohn accepted a new position in the Office of Institutional Advancement at the College.
"I am very pleased that Wendy has accepted our offer to be the next athletic director at Elmhurst College," said Elmhurst Vice President for Student Affairs Phil Riordan, who headed the athletic director search. "I was particularly impressed with her experience at a number of great institutions after coming up through the ranks as a volleyball coach. I think she is the right person, at the right time, to lead our athletic program. She's ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work and is excited to join the Bluejay family."
In her time at Minot State, an NCAA Division II institution, McManus served as a senior level advisor in the areas of budgeting development, personnel management, compliance and student-athlete welfare. She helped oversee the department's facility improvement projects, including the installation of a air supported dome, a remodel of the Student-Athlete Academic Success Center and an upgrade of the basketball/volleyball court. McManus also assisted in negotiating a six-year apparel partnership with Under Armour.
"I am so honored to be selected as Elmhurst's next Director of Athletics," said McManus. "I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and thanks to President [Troy] VanAken, Dr. Riordan and the search committee for entrusting me with the leadership of the Bluejay athletic program."
Prior to arriving at Minot State, McManus spent a year as the associate director of athletics for NCAA compliance and student welfare at the University of New Haven, an NCAA Division II institution in Connecticut. At New Haven, McManus managed a comprehensive compliance program, developed and implemented a life-skills program for student athletics and was directly responsible for the department's scholarship budget.
McManus began her administrative career as the associate athletic director for compliance and student-athlete services at Northwestern Oklahoma State. She played a key role in the transition process as the institution moved from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II. While at Northwestern Oklahoma, she assisted in the improvement of athletic facilities through fundraising initiatives and helped with the department's rebranding and creation of a new logo. She also served as the department's liaison for academics, advising and student services while mentoring representatives of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Additionally, McManus served as a member of the Division II National Volleyball Committee.
McManus began her career in collegiate athletics as a coach. She served as the head volleyball coach and sports information director at the University of the Southwest (2003-06) before coaching volleyball at Texas A&M International (2006-11). She guided Texas A&M International to its best record in school history, a 24-5 mark in 2006. She also led the squad to a runner-up finish at the Heartland Conference Tournament in 2007. She coached two-All-Americans, nine all-conference players and a Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year while at Texas A&M International.
Originally from Toronto, Canada, McManus played NCAA Division I volleyball at Chicago State University. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Chicago State in 1999 and received her master's degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University Irvine in 2010.
McManus said she looks forward to taking the reins of the Bluejay athletic department, which features 20 varsity sports and more than 450 student-athletes.
"I am truly excited to join a team that is committed to serving the student-athletes," McManus said. "The experience of our student-athletes will continue to be at the forefront of how we operate. It is important that we provide experiences that allow our student-athletes to grow and amplify their potential."
The Bluejays are charter members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and compete at the NCAA Division III level.
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, IL), Carroll University (Waukesha, WI), Carthage College (Kenosha, WI), Elmhurst College (Elmhurst, IL), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL), Millikin University (Decatur, IL), North Central College (Naperville, IL), North Park University (Chicago, IL) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL). During the 2017-18 academic year, the CCIW honored over 2,100 academic all-conference recipients, 15 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, 28 CoSIDA Academic All-District recipients, and over 100 all-Americans.