DePaul University Athletics
Senior Vice President & Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy Receives Contract Extension
3/23/2026 10:00:00 AM | ATHLETICS
Peevy to lead DePaul Athletics through 2031
CHICAGO – DePaul University President Rob Manuel and the DePaul University Board of Trustees have approved a contract extension for Senior Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy, securing his leadership of DePaul Athletics through 2031.
Now in his sixth year leading the Blue Demons, Peevy has guided DePaul Athletics through one of the most transformative periods in the department's history. Since arriving in August 2020, he has led record-setting fundraising and revenue growth, advanced major capital investments, elevated the student-athlete experience, engaged thoughtfully in DePaul's shared governance process and recruited top coaching talent. His leadership has positioned DePaul Athletics for sustained success in the BIG EAST Conference while modernizing the department to compete nationally and serve as a compelling front porch to the university, strengthening DePaul's national visibility and supporting enrollment growth.
Peevy was elevated to Vice President and added to the President's Cabinet in July 2021 before being named Senior Vice President in March 2026. The Board of Trustees previously approved a contract extension in 2023.
"DeWayne has been an exceptional leader for DePaul Athletics during a period of significant change across college sports," said DePaul President Robert L. Manuel. "He has brought vision, discipline and a deep commitment to our student-athletes, helping position the Blue Demons for long-term success in a highly competitive landscape. Just as importantly, he understands the powerful role athletics plays in expanding DePaul's visibility—reaching audiences and markets we wouldn't otherwise access—and how that broader reach strengthens the profile of the entire university. I'm grateful for his leadership and excited to continue this work together in the years ahead."
Shortly after arriving in Lincoln Park, Peevy introduced DePaul Athletics' DREAM BIG Strategic Plan, an ambitious multi-year roadmap designed to build a championship culture, elevate DePaul's national profile, and position the Blue Demons as a premier program in the BIG EAST Conference. The plan has served as the guiding framework for the department's recent progress across facilities, fundraising, brand growth, student-athlete support, and competitive success.
"Allison and I are deeply grateful to President Manuel and DePaul's Board of Trustees for their belief in our vision and the trust they have placed in me to continue leading DePaul Athletics," Peevy said. "Over the past several years, our entire community has come together to build meaningful momentum for our programs. We've invested in facilities, elevated the student-athlete experience, strengthened the DePaul brand, and laid the foundation for the future of DePaul basketball with the new practice facility. I'm incredibly proud of the progress we've made together, and I truly believe our best days are still ahead. It is an honor to continue serving DePaul University, our student-athletes, our fans, and our alumni in the greatest city in the world. None of this progress happens without the extraordinary people across our athletics department and campus who work every day to move our strategic priorities forward."
Elevating the Student-Athlete Experience
A central pillar of Peevy's leadership has been a commitment to the holistic development of DePaul's more than 240 student-athletes across 15 varsity programs.
Under his leadership, DePaul Athletics conducted a comprehensive review of its student-athlete development programming to modernize educational and career preparation opportunities and better align with the evolving needs of today's student-athletes.
Academically, DePaul student-athletes have achieved unprecedented success. During the 2024–25 academic year, the Blue Demons recorded a program-record GPA of 3.607, with all 15 programs exceeding a 3.0. Within Peevy's tenure, DePaul has produced the most student-athletes named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team in school history.
Peevy has also expanded resources dedicated to student-athlete health and well-being. His leadership introduced mandatory mental health screenings for all student-athletes in partnership with DePaul's Center for Counseling and Wellness (CCW), added a dedicated sports dietitian, and modernized the department's electronic medical records system and sports performance data systems to enhance coordinated care and performance monitoring.
In the rapidly evolving Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) environment, DePaul has emerged as a thought leader both within the BIG EAST Conference and nationally. Peevy positioned the Blue Demons ahead of the national curve by establishing dedicated NIL leadership roles within the department to evaluate emerging trends and risk, and program-specific general managers within its basketball programs, ensuring DePaul is well-positioned to compete in the modern revenue-sharing era of college athletics.
Driving Revenue Growth and Fan Engagement
Under Peevy's leadership, DePaul Athletics has experienced significant growth in revenue generation, ticket sales and philanthropic support.
The department's reimagined philanthropic arm, the DePaul Athletics Fund, generated a department-record $8.8 million in fiscal year 2025 from over 2,500 unique donors.
DePaul has also seen strong momentum in fan engagement and ticket sales. During the 2025–26 seasons, the department recorded an increase in revenue for every ticketed sport—men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's volleyball—for the third consecutive year. Men's basketball attendance surged at Wintrust Arena, marking the largest year-over-year attendance increase in the BIG EAST Conference for conference games. Specifically, DePaul student attendance increased an unprecedented 118% year-over-year.
Investments in data infrastructure and ticketing technology have helped modernize the department's sales strategy, allowing the DePaul Ticket Office to implement a more sophisticated, data-informed approach to fan engagement and revenue generation.
Expanding the DePaul Brand Nationally
Peevy has led a comprehensive modernization of the DePaul Athletics brand, unveiling updated brand standards and reviving the Billy Blue Demon vintage logo, leveraging the program's heritage to drive licensing growth and merchandise demand. The results have been record-breaking—DePaul Athletics has generated its highest merchandise sales and licensing royalties in school history, while significantly expanding national retail placement and brand visibility. A recently renewed and expanded partnership with Nike has further elevated the program's profile, highlighted by the launch of DePaul Athletics' first-ever replica jersey program.
A coordinated content and social media strategy has further amplified these efforts, driving significant growth across DePaul Athletics' digital platforms and strengthening the Blue Demons' national brand recognition. During the 2024–25 academic year, the department's social media channels reached a combined 13.3 million people, representing an increase of more than 300% from the previous year.
Peevy has further expanded DePaul's visibility through a series of strategic partnerships and marquee events, elevating the Blue Demons' brand. Under his leadership, DePaul has established partnerships with many of Chicago's professional sports teams, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, and Navy Pier, strengthening the university's presence within the city's vibrant sports and entertainment landscape. The department has also deepened its commitment to Chicago youth through its annual Field Trip Day initiative. The Nov. 2025 game against Northwestern set a DePaul women's basketball attendance record with over 9,500 fans. Since the program's inception, more than 76,000 students from Chicago Public Schools and local Catholic schools have attended. DePaul's national visibility was further elevated in Oct. 2023, when the Blue Demons faced Iowa in a historic outdoor charity exhibition at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, drawing 55,646 fans and setting an all-time women's basketball attendance record.
At the conference level, Peevy played a role in supporting the BIG EAST Conference's recently negotiated six-year media rights agreement, maintaining the league's position as one of the most televised conferences in college athletics through partnerships with FOX Sports, NBC Sports, TNT Sports and ESPN. He also helped secure a local partnership with Marquee Sports Network, the nation's largest regional sports network, to expand linear coverage for Blue Demon fans in Chicago and throughout the Midwest.
Investing in Championship Facilities
Peevy has led one of the most significant periods of capital investment in DePaul Athletics' history.
The first phase of renovations to the Sullivan Athletics Center was completed in 2024, providing every varsity program with dedicated locker rooms for the first time in program history. The project also introduced a new strength and conditioning facility, recovery room, recruiting room, and enhanced fan amenities within McGrath-Phillips Arena.
Additional facility enhancements have included a new playing surface turf at Wish Field, upgraded videoboards and scoreboards at Wish Field and Cacciatore Stadium, and technology upgrades designed to enhance the fan experience while expanding advertising opportunities for corporate partners.
The next major step in the department's facility vision is already underway. Construction of DePaul's new dedicated basketball practice facility is scheduled to begin in Summer 2026 and open in Fall 2027. The facility will be fully funded by the Athletics Department through donor and corporate giving.
Strengthening the Competitive Future
Peevy has also overseen several key coaching hires that are shaping the future of Blue Demon athletics.
Among his most significant hires is men's basketball head coach Chris Holtmann, a three-time conference coach of the year and three-time Naismith National Coach of the Year finalist. In just two seasons, Holtmann has guided DePaul men's basketball to one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the country. In his first season, 2024-25, Holtmann led the largest improvement in KenPom from the year prior in the nation and helped DePaul men's basketball return to the postseason for the first time since 2018-19, appearing in the College Basketball Crown. During the 2025-26 season, the program earned the second-most BIG EAST wins in program history and the program's highest-ever seed in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Peevy also hired Jill M. Pizzotti to lead the women's basketball program and brought DePaul alumni Liz Bouck-Jagielski (softball) and Ryan Jamison (men's golf) back to Lincoln Park as head coaches.
He has also prioritized honoring DePaul Athletics' rich tradition, revitalizing the department's Hall of Fame program, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, and supporting the retirement of several iconic Blue Demon jerseys, including Dave Dopek, Terry Cummings, Dave Corzine, Diana Vines, and, most recently, Rod Strickland.
Peevy brought more than 28 years of collegiate athletics experience to DePaul, including leadership roles at the University of Kentucky, the Southeastern Conference and the Gulf South Conference. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Montevallo and his Executive MBA through the University of Kentucky/University of Louisville program. Peevy and his wife, Allison, have two children, Kaitlyn and Braden.
Now in his sixth year leading the Blue Demons, Peevy has guided DePaul Athletics through one of the most transformative periods in the department's history. Since arriving in August 2020, he has led record-setting fundraising and revenue growth, advanced major capital investments, elevated the student-athlete experience, engaged thoughtfully in DePaul's shared governance process and recruited top coaching talent. His leadership has positioned DePaul Athletics for sustained success in the BIG EAST Conference while modernizing the department to compete nationally and serve as a compelling front porch to the university, strengthening DePaul's national visibility and supporting enrollment growth.
Peevy was elevated to Vice President and added to the President's Cabinet in July 2021 before being named Senior Vice President in March 2026. The Board of Trustees previously approved a contract extension in 2023.
"DeWayne has been an exceptional leader for DePaul Athletics during a period of significant change across college sports," said DePaul President Robert L. Manuel. "He has brought vision, discipline and a deep commitment to our student-athletes, helping position the Blue Demons for long-term success in a highly competitive landscape. Just as importantly, he understands the powerful role athletics plays in expanding DePaul's visibility—reaching audiences and markets we wouldn't otherwise access—and how that broader reach strengthens the profile of the entire university. I'm grateful for his leadership and excited to continue this work together in the years ahead."
Shortly after arriving in Lincoln Park, Peevy introduced DePaul Athletics' DREAM BIG Strategic Plan, an ambitious multi-year roadmap designed to build a championship culture, elevate DePaul's national profile, and position the Blue Demons as a premier program in the BIG EAST Conference. The plan has served as the guiding framework for the department's recent progress across facilities, fundraising, brand growth, student-athlete support, and competitive success.
"Allison and I are deeply grateful to President Manuel and DePaul's Board of Trustees for their belief in our vision and the trust they have placed in me to continue leading DePaul Athletics," Peevy said. "Over the past several years, our entire community has come together to build meaningful momentum for our programs. We've invested in facilities, elevated the student-athlete experience, strengthened the DePaul brand, and laid the foundation for the future of DePaul basketball with the new practice facility. I'm incredibly proud of the progress we've made together, and I truly believe our best days are still ahead. It is an honor to continue serving DePaul University, our student-athletes, our fans, and our alumni in the greatest city in the world. None of this progress happens without the extraordinary people across our athletics department and campus who work every day to move our strategic priorities forward."
Elevating the Student-Athlete Experience
A central pillar of Peevy's leadership has been a commitment to the holistic development of DePaul's more than 240 student-athletes across 15 varsity programs.
Under his leadership, DePaul Athletics conducted a comprehensive review of its student-athlete development programming to modernize educational and career preparation opportunities and better align with the evolving needs of today's student-athletes.
Academically, DePaul student-athletes have achieved unprecedented success. During the 2024–25 academic year, the Blue Demons recorded a program-record GPA of 3.607, with all 15 programs exceeding a 3.0. Within Peevy's tenure, DePaul has produced the most student-athletes named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team in school history.
Peevy has also expanded resources dedicated to student-athlete health and well-being. His leadership introduced mandatory mental health screenings for all student-athletes in partnership with DePaul's Center for Counseling and Wellness (CCW), added a dedicated sports dietitian, and modernized the department's electronic medical records system and sports performance data systems to enhance coordinated care and performance monitoring.
In the rapidly evolving Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) environment, DePaul has emerged as a thought leader both within the BIG EAST Conference and nationally. Peevy positioned the Blue Demons ahead of the national curve by establishing dedicated NIL leadership roles within the department to evaluate emerging trends and risk, and program-specific general managers within its basketball programs, ensuring DePaul is well-positioned to compete in the modern revenue-sharing era of college athletics.
Driving Revenue Growth and Fan Engagement
Under Peevy's leadership, DePaul Athletics has experienced significant growth in revenue generation, ticket sales and philanthropic support.
The department's reimagined philanthropic arm, the DePaul Athletics Fund, generated a department-record $8.8 million in fiscal year 2025 from over 2,500 unique donors.
DePaul has also seen strong momentum in fan engagement and ticket sales. During the 2025–26 seasons, the department recorded an increase in revenue for every ticketed sport—men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's volleyball—for the third consecutive year. Men's basketball attendance surged at Wintrust Arena, marking the largest year-over-year attendance increase in the BIG EAST Conference for conference games. Specifically, DePaul student attendance increased an unprecedented 118% year-over-year.
Investments in data infrastructure and ticketing technology have helped modernize the department's sales strategy, allowing the DePaul Ticket Office to implement a more sophisticated, data-informed approach to fan engagement and revenue generation.
Expanding the DePaul Brand Nationally
Peevy has led a comprehensive modernization of the DePaul Athletics brand, unveiling updated brand standards and reviving the Billy Blue Demon vintage logo, leveraging the program's heritage to drive licensing growth and merchandise demand. The results have been record-breaking—DePaul Athletics has generated its highest merchandise sales and licensing royalties in school history, while significantly expanding national retail placement and brand visibility. A recently renewed and expanded partnership with Nike has further elevated the program's profile, highlighted by the launch of DePaul Athletics' first-ever replica jersey program.
A coordinated content and social media strategy has further amplified these efforts, driving significant growth across DePaul Athletics' digital platforms and strengthening the Blue Demons' national brand recognition. During the 2024–25 academic year, the department's social media channels reached a combined 13.3 million people, representing an increase of more than 300% from the previous year.
Peevy has further expanded DePaul's visibility through a series of strategic partnerships and marquee events, elevating the Blue Demons' brand. Under his leadership, DePaul has established partnerships with many of Chicago's professional sports teams, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, and Navy Pier, strengthening the university's presence within the city's vibrant sports and entertainment landscape. The department has also deepened its commitment to Chicago youth through its annual Field Trip Day initiative. The Nov. 2025 game against Northwestern set a DePaul women's basketball attendance record with over 9,500 fans. Since the program's inception, more than 76,000 students from Chicago Public Schools and local Catholic schools have attended. DePaul's national visibility was further elevated in Oct. 2023, when the Blue Demons faced Iowa in a historic outdoor charity exhibition at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, drawing 55,646 fans and setting an all-time women's basketball attendance record.
At the conference level, Peevy played a role in supporting the BIG EAST Conference's recently negotiated six-year media rights agreement, maintaining the league's position as one of the most televised conferences in college athletics through partnerships with FOX Sports, NBC Sports, TNT Sports and ESPN. He also helped secure a local partnership with Marquee Sports Network, the nation's largest regional sports network, to expand linear coverage for Blue Demon fans in Chicago and throughout the Midwest.
Investing in Championship Facilities
Peevy has led one of the most significant periods of capital investment in DePaul Athletics' history.
The first phase of renovations to the Sullivan Athletics Center was completed in 2024, providing every varsity program with dedicated locker rooms for the first time in program history. The project also introduced a new strength and conditioning facility, recovery room, recruiting room, and enhanced fan amenities within McGrath-Phillips Arena.
Additional facility enhancements have included a new playing surface turf at Wish Field, upgraded videoboards and scoreboards at Wish Field and Cacciatore Stadium, and technology upgrades designed to enhance the fan experience while expanding advertising opportunities for corporate partners.
The next major step in the department's facility vision is already underway. Construction of DePaul's new dedicated basketball practice facility is scheduled to begin in Summer 2026 and open in Fall 2027. The facility will be fully funded by the Athletics Department through donor and corporate giving.
Strengthening the Competitive Future
Peevy has also overseen several key coaching hires that are shaping the future of Blue Demon athletics.
Among his most significant hires is men's basketball head coach Chris Holtmann, a three-time conference coach of the year and three-time Naismith National Coach of the Year finalist. In just two seasons, Holtmann has guided DePaul men's basketball to one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the country. In his first season, 2024-25, Holtmann led the largest improvement in KenPom from the year prior in the nation and helped DePaul men's basketball return to the postseason for the first time since 2018-19, appearing in the College Basketball Crown. During the 2025-26 season, the program earned the second-most BIG EAST wins in program history and the program's highest-ever seed in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Peevy also hired Jill M. Pizzotti to lead the women's basketball program and brought DePaul alumni Liz Bouck-Jagielski (softball) and Ryan Jamison (men's golf) back to Lincoln Park as head coaches.
He has also prioritized honoring DePaul Athletics' rich tradition, revitalizing the department's Hall of Fame program, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, and supporting the retirement of several iconic Blue Demon jerseys, including Dave Dopek, Terry Cummings, Dave Corzine, Diana Vines, and, most recently, Rod Strickland.
Peevy brought more than 28 years of collegiate athletics experience to DePaul, including leadership roles at the University of Kentucky, the Southeastern Conference and the Gulf South Conference. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Montevallo and his Executive MBA through the University of Kentucky/University of Louisville program. Peevy and his wife, Allison, have two children, Kaitlyn and Braden.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Athletics, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
ABOUT DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul's 15 intercollegiate athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division I, BIG EAST Conference. DePaul University began sponsoring athletics teams in the early 1900's, with intercollegiate athletics coming to fruition in the 1920's. Legendary coach Ray Meyer helped put DePaul on the map in the 1970's as the men's basketball program helped elevate the university to national prominence. Through a bold new vision for the future, DePaul Athletics looks to become the premier program in the BIG EAST Conference through a focus on winning championships with integrity, building champion students through education and intentional development, and serving as a visible ambassador for DePaul University and the Chicago community. DePaul Athletics has a storied tradition and is uniquely positioned to support the university's mission and commitment to academic excellence, real-world experience, community engagement, and systemic change. Further, the department is steadfast in its commitment to grow the university's national exposure and enrollment.
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