NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Athletics Compliance staff has added another member to its ranks, as
Travis Johnston has been hired as the Director of Compliance & Student Services. Johnston, a native of Pittsburgh, comes to Illinois State after serving as a postgraduate intern in Academic and Membership Affairs for the NCAA.
"We are delighted to welcome Travis to the Redbird Athletics family," Senior Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Student Services
Cindy Harris said. "He has been well-trained in this business and brings passion, experience and a host of other important skills to our multifaceted Compliance & Student Services unit here at Illinois State. We look forward to getting Travis up and running to assist us in maintaining our high standards for MVC and NCAA compliance."
While at the NCAA, Johnston served the Division I and II membership with processing student-athlete academic waivers and presented appeals to respective waiver committees. He also assisted membership with interpretive responses to time-sensitive legislative questions and concerns they submitted.
"I am honored to have been given the opportunity to work at an institution rich in athletics history and tradition like Illinois State," Johnston said. "I am excited to contribute to a stable compliance department and assist in serving Redbird student-athletes, coaches, and administrators."
He joined the NCAA office following a two-year graduate assistantship at Eastern Michigan, where he earned his master's degree in sport management. As the compliance graduate assistant, Johnston helped monitor the Eagles' 21 sports programs, with focused responsibilities in initial eligibility, financial aid, the NLI signing program and other initiatives such as the ESPY-style student-athlete awards show, "The Ypsi Awards."
Before Eastern Michigan, Johnston served as a compliance intern at Duquense, conducting initial eligibility evaluations of prospective student athletes for the department's 16 sports. He earned a bachelor's in sport, arts and entertainment management from Point Park University in Pittsburgh and as an undergraduate, he served an integral role in the founding of the Point Park rugby football club, serving as team captain and coach while leading the club to its first appearance in the National Small College Rugby Organization Three Rivers Conference. The club also earned honors in 2014 for fundraising and community engagement initiatives.
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