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CITY, ND (VCSUVikings.com) – Valley City State University women’s basketball coach Jill DeVries has been named the school’s next athletic director, President Tisa Mason announced Thursday.
DeVries, who was set to begin her 18th season coaching at VCSU, officially starts her athletic director duties on Aug. 21. She will be responsible for the development, administration, vision and leadership of the men’s and women’s athletic programs at VCSU. DeVries is the first female athletic director in school history. She has worked as an assistant athletic director since 2007.
“Jill’s unquestioned dedication to VCSU and prior experience as assistant athletic director are great assets as she steps into her new role,” said President Mason. “We’re excited for the stability she will provide, but also the great ideas she has to advance our athletic department and our university. Throughout her 17 years on campus Jill has demonstrated a commitment to the total student-athlete experience and graduating high-quality students. Her teams have consistently achieved high levels of success on the court but have also been among the top academic women’s basketball teams in the nation. Jill’s insistence on student success and achieving the right balance between academics and athletics makes her the right fit for Viking athletics.”
DeVries replaces Nate Stewart who left VCSU to join Centre College (Ken.) as the school’s associate athletic director for advancement and external relations.
“I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to serve as the next director of athletics at VCSU,” said DeVries. “I appreciate the confidence that President Mason and the VCSU administration have in me to take our program to the next level of success. I firmly believe in and am committed to the values of academic and athletic excellence. We have outstanding coaches and student-athletes at VCSU, and I’m proud to be a Viking.”
A Glyndon, Minn., native, DeVries is a graduate of North Dakota State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education (1992) and a Master of Education (1997). While at NDSU, DeVries starred on the basketball court and helped lead the team to a national championship in 1991. She was inducted into the NDSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
DeVries began her coaching career at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and had stops at NDSU and the University of Nebraska-Kearney before she was hired as Valley City State University’s head women’s coach in 1999. DeVries is the only coach to lead the Viking women to the NAIA National Tournament, guiding them there four times in the past seven seasons. She is the all-time winningest coach in VCSU women’s basketball history with a career record of 283-258.
DeVries and her wife, Holly, live in Valley City.
Valley City State University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and a conference member of the North Star Athletic Association. VCSU sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports including basketball, baseball, football, volleyball, softball, track & field, cross country and golf.