Jill Bodensteiner Named Horizon League Commissioner

The Horizon League Board of Directors announced on Thursday the selection of Jill Bodensteiner as Commissioner, effective April 15, 2026.

Bodensteiner is currently the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Saint Joseph’s University.

During her tenure at SJU, Bodensteiner helped to shape intercollegiate athletics policy at the highest levels, including testifying at a U.S. Congressional Hearing on NIL (Name, Image and Likeness). In 2024, she was named Nike Division I Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports for her deep expertise and involvement in collegiate athletics and the success of the Hawks on and off the court and field.

Why this matters: Bodensteiner is the seventh commissioner in League history, succeeding Julie Roe Lach (2021-2025), Jonathan B. LeCrone (1992-2020), Daniel B. “Tucker” DiEdwardo (1989-92), James W. Shaffer (1984-89), Cecil N. Coleman (1980-84) and James J. McCafferty (1979-80).

Major Voices
Horizon League Board of Directors Chair and Wright State President Sue Edwards
“On behalf of the Horizon League Board, we are thrilled to welcome Jill Bodensteiner as our next commissioner. We are confident that Jill’s experiences and knowledge make her the right person to lead our League forward in this rapidly evolving college athletics landscape.”

Horizon League Search Committee Chair and Cleveland State President Laura Bloomberg
“We had an impressive and highly qualified pool of applicants eager to become our seventh Commissioner. Jill is a proven leader who inspired the search committee. We are so excited to welcome her to the League family. I also want to thank our search committee and our partners at Parker Executive Search for their hard work and dedication throughout this process.”

Horizon League Commissioner Jill Bodensteiner
“I am incredibly grateful to the Horizon League Board of Directors for the opportunity to lead the Horizon League as our seventh commissioner. The League is well-positioned for success, and I look forward to working with our membership to continue to develop our student-athletes for life after college athletics.”

Dig Deeper:

• In 2025, Bodensteiner was selected to the prestigious Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics where she and the Commission focus on governance, equity, and financial reforms, as well as provide education on the changing landscape of college sports.
• Additionally, Bodensteiner has served several high-level NCAA appointments including: Division I Council NIL Working Group, Committee on Academics and the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee.
• Beyond competitive success at SJU, Bodensteiner championed a culture of excellence and belonging, prioritized the holistic development of student-athletes, and led significant capital investments in facilities.
• Parker Executive Search was retained to lead the search process.
• A search committee comprised of three university presidents/chancellors, two athletic directors, a senior woman administrator, a faculty athletics representative and a student-athlete, along with a League staff liaison assisted with the search.
  • Presidents/Chancellors
    • Laura Bloomberg, Cleveland State (Chair)
    • Ora Pescovitz, Oakland
    • Latha Ramchand, IU Indianapolis
  • Athletics Directors
    • Ron Strollo, Youngstown State
    • Robert Vowels, Detroit Mercy
  • Senior Woman Administrator
    • Kathy Litzau, Milwaukee
  • Faculty Athletics Representative
    • Tom Hazelbaker, Wright State
  • Student-Athlete
    • Dominik Cosic, Cleveland State
  • Horizon League Staff Liaison
    • Beth Opell
• Horizon League Chief Operating Officer Christine Neuman has served as Interim Commissioner since December 1, 2025.
• The Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of 11 member institutions headquartered in Indianapolis. The League and our member schools annually develop nearly 4,000 student-athletes for life. Through unique opportunities in major metropolitan cities, their athletic, academic and personal aspirations can be achieved. Because what they learn today will inspire who they become tomorrow. For more information, visit HorizonLeague.com.
  • Northern Illinois will join the Horizon League as its 12^th member on July 1, 2026.
• Parker Executive Search is a retained executive search firm dedicated to providing superior service to its clients in the identification and recruitment of outstanding professionals for senior executive positions. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Parker Executive Search provides innovative and proactive search solutions, and their sports practice is one of the most highly regarded in the country.