Chris Voelz

Chris Voelz (born May 29, 1949) is the Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards, the most prestigious national collegiate sports awards program for women since 1976.^[1] Voelz also heads her own consulting business, A+, Athletics Plus which focuses on presentations; key note speeches; seminars and other educational contributions especially for or about women in sport. Voelz currently serves as an ambassador and steward for Billie Jean King’s Women's Sports Foundation.^[2]

Voelz has served as Executive Director of the CWSA since 2012. Prior to that she served as the Leadership Gift Officer for the Women's Sports Foundation from 2001-2008 and from 1988-2002 she served as one of the 6 separate Athletics Directors in the nation, at the University of Minnesota. Serving in that position she set attendance, academic, fundraising and performance records while building eight athletic facilities and adding three sports. Voelz has been inducted into three Halls of Fame; Sports Fitness Magazine named her one of the most influential people in sports in the nation; the Star Tribune named Voelz #22 of the 100 Most Important Sports Figures of the Century in Minnesota. Voelz served as President of NACWAA (National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators) and in 2011 was honored by NACWAA as Lifetime Achievement Award.^[3] Voelz was elected for the NCAA Gender Equity Task Force and was a co author of the Gender Equity Definition advanced by NACWAA and adopted by NCAA.

From 1978-88 Voelz served the University of Oregon as it’s Head Women’s Volleyball Coach and Associate Athletics Director.

As a high school teacher and coach she coached volleyball, basketball and softball after having competed collegiately at Illinois State University in those three sports as well as golf and having served as president of the Student Athlete Advisory Board for both Illinois State University as well as the state of Illinois.

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