University of Minnesota Athletics
Chris Voelz
9/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Chris Voelz |
During her tenure, Minnesota saw academic achievements, athletic accomplishments and fundraising returns reach all-time highs. Under Voelz, the Golden Gophers notched three top 20 finishes in the Directors’ Cup, one national championship (women’s hockey in 2000), five top 10 national team finishes and nine Big Ten championships. Voelz was also instrumental in the addition of soccer, hockey and rowing as Minnesota’s 10th, 11th and 12th women’s sports programs, adding 110 new opportunities for women student-athletes.
Academically under Voelz, women’s athletic department achieved more than 25 consecutive academic terms of maintaining a 3.0 GPA or above, while female student-athletes achieved graduation rates above the University and national average.
A signature of the Voelz era at Minnesota included hosting seven NCAA Championships and numerous Big Ten Championships. Minnesota set a new standard of excellence in hosting championship events.
Voelz managed a $10.9 million athletics budget and a staff of more than 80 employees, and was significantly involved in securing over $16 million toward the building of new facilities. She directed the successful efforts for facility expansion, opening Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium for soccer and Jane Sage Cowles Stadium for softball in 2000, and Ridder Arena for hockey and the Baseline Tennis center for tennis in 2002, and facilitating the renovation of the Sports Pavilion. Voelz also helped played a major role in the building of the University Aquatic Center. Last fall, she was honored at the Sports Pavilion with the opening of the Chris Voelz Volleyball Team Room.
During her 14-year career at Minnesota, Voelz was able to increase the endowed scholarships for women student-athletes from one to 25 more than any other university.
Voelz managed a $10.9 million athletics budget and a staff of more than 80 employees, and was significantly involved in securing over $16 million toward the building of new facilities. She directed the successful efforts for facility expansion, opening Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium for soccer and Jane Sage Cowles Stadium for softball in 2000, and Ridder Arena for hockey and the Baseline Tennis center for tennis in 2002. She also helped facilitate the building of the University Aquatic Center and the Sports Pavilion.
Ranked No. 22 on the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s list of Minnesota’s 100 Most Important Sports Figures of the Century, Voelz has been recognized around the nation for her work in collegiate athletics and her expertise and commitment on gender equity and Title IX. The winner of numerous local and national awards for her work in gender equity and women’s athletics, Voelz served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators in 1991-92.
After her time at Minnesota, Voelz became a consultant and the leadership gift officer for the Women’s Sports Foundation, an educational nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by tennis legend Billie Jean King.
Prior to coming to Minnesota, Voelz was a senior associate athletics director at the University of Oregon. She was the head volleyball coach for the Ducks from 1987-85. During that time, Voelz also served as president of the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Holder of a bachelor’s degree in education from Illinois State University and a master’s degree from Northern Illinois, Voelz played basketball, golf, volleyball and softball at the dawn of Illinois State’s intercollegiate women’s program.
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