Athletic Department: Dr. Rodger Jehlicka

Dr. Rodger Jehlicka was named the Director of Athletics at the University of Illinois at Springfield in December, 2005 and in a very short period or time, he has led the intercollegiate athletic programs at UIS to unprecedented growth and achievements – both academically and athletically.

Academically, he initiated the UIS Director of Athletics Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes who earn a 3.0 GPA or higher, during the fall or spring semester. Since the inception of the honor roll, the number of UIS student-athletes that have earned the honor has grown in every semester. Also under Dr. Jehlicka’s direction, the athletic department now hosts the UIS Athletic Department Golf Outing and Fundraiser, which helps to raise money for various departmental costs. UIS Athletics also has a Mission Statement and Strategic Plan developed by the athletic department staff under his direction.

Athletically, both men’s and women’s golf were added as varsity sports in the fall of 2007, and baseball will begin in the 2010-11 academic year. Dr. Jehlicka was also very instrumental in the planning, development and completion of the athletic components within the UIS Recreation and Athletic Center, which opened in the fall of 2007. Perhaps Dr. Jehlica's biggest achievement at UIS has been helping guide the school through its transition into the NCAA as an active Division II member and gaining membership into the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

Prior to coming to UIS, Dr. Jehlicka was an Associate Director of Athletics at Eastern Illinois University from August 1999 to December, 2005. At EIU, Dr. Jehlicka supervised the day-to-day operations of 17 of the 22 varsity sports, including budgets, schedules, and evaluations. He also supervised strength and conditioning, athletic training and the athletic equipment rooms. He was responsible for the management of all EIU Athletic facilities, game administration at various home athletic contests and he was the coordinator of all Eastern Illinois University Athletic Camps. Dr. Jehlicka also served as liaison for special athletic events hosted annually by EIU, including the Illinois High School Associations (IHSA) Super Sectional Boys’ Basketball Tournament and the IHSA Boys’ and Girls’ State Track and Field meets.

During his time at EIU, Dr. Jehlicka was also responsible for the completion of renovations to athletic facilities, which included the resurfacing of the outdoor track at O’Brien Stadium. He also oversaw a total renovation of Lantz Field House and the indoor track, the addition of chair back and contoured seating in Lantz Arena, the installation of the Daktronics video replay system, and the complete resurfacing of the basketball court in Lantz Arena. The 550-seat Coaches Baseball Stadium and baseball field irrigation system was also completed in 2002 under the supervision of Dr. Jehlicka. He also oversaw the instillation of the Pro-Grass artificial turf, which was installed at O’Brien Stadium during the summer of 2003. Improvements and renovations to Williams Softball Field and a women’s rugby complex were completed in the fall of 2003 under his direction also. During the six plus years while Dr. Jehlicka was at EIU, the athletic teams won 24 Ohio Valley Conference Championships with NCAA post-season appearances in football (4), women’s soccer (4), men’s basketball and women’s volleyball, as well as numerous individual championships in men’s cross country, track, and wrestling.

From 1995 to 1999, Dr. Jehlicka was the Director of Athletics at Adams State College in Alamosa, CO. Under his leadership, Adams State College won the 1998-1999 NACDA Sears Director’s Cup by having the best overall NCAA Division II Athletic program based on finishes in NCAA Division II National Championships (otherwise know as the National Champion of the NCAA Division II National Championships). Dr. Jehlicka also was in charge of corporate sponsorships and the booster organization the Grizzly Club. Under his direction, fundraising reached an all-time high in 1998-99.

Along with serving as the Director of Athletics at Adams State College, Dr. Jehlicka was the head wrestling coach from 1982-1999, as well as an assistant football coach from 1982-87, and an Associate Professor in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department.

Dr. Jehlicka’s wrestling team at Adams State College won nine Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles, two NCAA West Regional Titles, 10 Top Ten finishes at the National Tournament, and one National Championship as a team. He has the most wins among wresting coaches in the history of the sport at Adams State College. Dr. Jehlicka also coached 69 individual All-American wrestlers, six individual National Champions, eight individual National Runners-up and 16 Academic All-Americans. He was honored as Coach of the Year 11 times, twice as NCAA West Regional Coach of the Year, and in 1990, he was named NAIA National Wrestling Coach of the Year. Dr. Jehlicka coached for USA Wrestling at three different age groups at the World Championships. He served two terms on the Board of Directors for USA Wrestling, which is the national governing body.

Dr. Jehlicka has been inducted into four athletic Hall of Fames. In 1996, he was inducted into the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame as a coach; in 1998 he was inducted into the Winona State University Athletic Hall of Fame as an athlete; in 2005 he was inducted into the Adams State College Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach; and in 2006 he was inducted into Park High School in Cottage Grove, Minnesota Athletic Hall of Fame as an athlete.

From 1980 to 1982, Dr. Jehlicka served as the head wrestling coach, assistant football coach and as an instructor in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. During his tenure at Chadron State College, he turned a struggling wrestling program into one of the top NAIA wrestling programs in the country.

From 1970-1980, Dr. Jehlicka was the head wrestling coach, defensive coordinator in football and an instructor in the Physical Education Department at Auburndale High School in Auburndale, Wisconsin. He also served as the Director of Athletics at the school from 1975-1980. As a defensive coordinator, he helped guide the Auburndale football teams to five conference championships, while his wrestling teams won 15 team championships – including conference, WIAA Regional and WIAA Sectional Titles.

Dr. Jehlicka started his teaching career as a Physical Education instructor at Winona Senior High School in Winona, Minnesota from December 1969 to June 1970. During this time, he also served as an assistant wrestling coach at Winona State University.

Dr. Jehlicka earned his Bachelor’s Degree (1969) and Master’s Degree (1976) in Physical Education and Health from Winona State University. He, then, earned his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM) in 1997 in Sports Administration. While at Winona State, he was an outstanding athlete in both football and wrestling as he was named co-captain in both sports. He was also an NAIA All-American wrestler in 1968 and a USA Olympic wresting training camp qualifier.

Dr. Jehlicka graduated from St. Paul Park High School, St. Paul Park, Minnesota, in 1965 where he was a highly recognized athlete in football, wrestling and baseball.