DeWayne Peevy - Vice President & Director of Athletics - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

DeWayne Peevy

Title:
Vice President & Director of Athletics
Email:
Phone:
(773) 325-7504

DeWayne Peevy, an admired and respected leader in collegiate athletics, was named as the ninth director of athletics at DePaul University on Aug. 24, 2020. Peevy was added to the President's Cabinent and elevated to Vice President and Director of Athletics in July 2021. Peevy received a contract extension in 2023, retaining him as the leader of DePaul Athletics through at least June 30, 2027.

In his role as Vice President, Peevy has been distinctively committed to the university's shared governance process and meets regularly with leadership from DePaul's Faculty Council, Staff Council, and the Student Government Association (SGA), in addition to the Strategic Resource Allocation Committee (SRAC) to foster transparency, consistent communication, and dialogue.

In the summer of 2021, Peevy announced a broad vision for the future of DePaul Athletics known as DREAM BIG Strategic Plan—a comprehensive five-year roadmap for the department. The plan calls on DePaul to build a championship culture and become the premier program in the BIG EAST Conference while enhancing the Blue Demon's external outreach and footprint within Chicago.

Furthering his commitment to fostering an elite, championship experience for all 215+ student-athletes and 15 varsity sports programs at DePaul, Peevy paved the way for the scheduled replacement of the Wish Field turf playing surface, updated videoboard at Wish Field and Cacciatore Stadium, and the announcement of a capital fundraising campaign aimed at advancing two projects—the modernization of the Sullivan Athletics Center and McGrath-Phillips Arena, and the constructions of a new, dedicated basketball practice facility. The first phase of the capital campaign was completed in Fall 2025, giving each varsity program their own locker room for the first time in program history, as well as a new weightroom and renovations to McGrath-Phillips Arena.

Since first arriving in Lincoln Park, Peevy has helped the DePaul Athletics department undergo a dramatic transformation that included the addition of several new positions, development of new senior and executive leadership teams and elevation of several roles to ensure a dedicated focus in strategic and emerging business areas. Peevy added new student-support roles in August 2022 - an Associate Athletics Director for Health and Wellness, a Sports Nutritionist (RDN) and two additional athletic trainers to support student-athlete well-being. The Student-Athlete Experience division was also formed with the task of connecting all educational programming provided for student-athletes under one umbrella to provide a cohesive, scaffolded, and inclusive experience. Further staff development was added in the Spring of 2024 with the addition of an Associate Athletics Director for NCAA Compliance to better align with BIG EAST Conference peers and place a further focus on institutional compliance and a nationally shifting regulatory framework. Peevy remains at the forefront of college landscape with the addition of a full-time NIL role in 2024, Associate Athletics Director for NIL Innovation & Strategy to develop departmental NIL strategy and ensure department efforts are coordinated and effective. DePaul continued to see growth in its department with the addition of an Associate Athletics Director for Information Technology & Data Systems in August 2025, helping maintain and grow DePaul's technology systems.

Under Peevy's leadership, DePaul Athletics further secured the resources necessary to fully fund scholarships for all 15 sports to the NCAA maximum allowance. In his first year, Peevy achieved the fourth-best fundraising year in the department's history, raising $3.05M. The following year he surpassed those totals, raising $4.07M within in the fiscal year. With an additional focus on ticket sales and revenue growth, under Peevy's leadership the Blue Demons have recorded a number of attendance and revenue records including - the department's first sellout of Wintrust Arena, highest season ticket renewal rate in the history of the facility, highest-attended regular-season women's basketball game in program history, the men's soccer program's first capacity crowd and highest ticket sales revenue in school history for volleyball, softball and men's soccer. Under Peevy's direction, DePaul saw record-breaking fundraising numbers for the 2025 fiscal year, eclipsing $8.8 million raised.

The Department of Athletics has made significant strides in advancing its strategic and corporate partnerships, national visibility and digital presence under Peevy's leadership. He initiated DePaul Athletics' brand modernization initiative, logo updates and the resurgence of the iconic Billy Blue Demon vintage logo. Since August 2021, the Blue Demons have seen a 43% increase in royalties and the highest gross merchandise sales in department history through the addition of several key licensees and national retail placements. Further, the Blue Demons completed a complete redesign of DePaul's webpage, DePaulBlueDemons.com, the launch of the official DePaul Blue Demons app and a multi-year partnership with JMI Sports to serve as the Blue Demons multimedia rights partner, focused on increasing DePaul's sponsorship revenues. During his tenure, the Blue Demons have seen record television viewership growth for both its basketball programs and enhanced live streaming and broadcast capabilities for DePaul soccer, softball, and volleyball. Further that commitment in August 2023, the Blue Demons announced an innovative, multi-year broadcast partnership with the Marquee Sports Network to enhance the regional viewership and exposure of DePaul's women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, and softball sporting events.

Under Peevy's guidance, the Blue Demons re-instituted the Hall of Fame with revised selection process. As a part of the Hall of Fame process, the Blue Demons retired three jerseys during the 2023-24 season including the first ever for a non-men's basketball athlete as they retired Terry Cummings (Men's Basketball), Diana Vines (Women's Basketball) and Dave Dopek (Track & Field) jerseys.

DePaul has pivoted toward being one of the most innovative institutions in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) space by executing several new partnerships. Peevy inked a pioneering partnership with INFLCR - the nation's leading NIL brand-building platform - to allow DePaul to be among only a handful of programs in the nation to offer INFLCR's full suite of brand building and content products to student-athletes. Notably, Peevy led interdisciplinary partnerships with DePaul University's award-winning Driehaus College of Business and College of Communication to explore diverse learning opportunities that explore the intersection of athletics and business. Additionally, with the passing of the House vs. NCAA case in June 2025, DePaul launched the Fund for Men's Basketball Excellence and the Doug Bruno Fund for Women's Basketball Excellence to help support both Blue Demon basketball programs in the new era of college athletics.

Peevy has successfully recruited and hired multiple head coaches across DePaul's athletic programs - including the most recent hire of PGA Tour caddy and DePaul alum, Ryan Jamison to lead the Blue Demons golf program. Peevy hired former Big Ten and BIG EAST Coach of the Year, Chris Holtmann, as the leader of the men's basketball program in March 2024 followed by the elevation of women's basketball's Jill M. Pizzotti to head coach in March 2025.

In his 12 years at Kentucky starting in August 2008, Peevy played a prominent role with key fundraising efforts, strategic planning and media relations. He served as the liaison to the Southeastern Conference and SEC network offices, and oversaw Kentucky men's basketball, considered the most successful NCAA Division I basketball program in history both in terms of all-time wins and winning percentage. Additionally, Peevy directly supervised the chief financial officer, chief revenue office and executive associate athletics directors for internal and external operations.

Known for his creative scheduling strategies, Peevy led the creation of the CBS Sports Classic, which started in 2014 and recently signed a three-year extension through 2022. In addition to leading the negotiations of the financial terms, he also had a primary role in selecting the teams, television network and event management company. All four schools involved — Kentucky, North Carolina, UCLA and Ohio State — have benefited from schedule upgrades, as well as a marquee neutral site doubleheader in major cities.

Upon his hiring, Peevy oversaw both the media relations department and the award-winning Kentucky sports publication department while serving as the primary media contact for the nationally renowned men’s basketball team. In 2010, Peevy was promoted to senior associate athletic director for communications and assumed oversight over the marketing and sports video departments.

During the spring of 2012, he was promoted to executive associate athletic director for external operations concluding his time as the primary media contact for men’s basketball while adding supervision of the K Fund development office and men’s basketball liaison duties. He still supervised the media relations, marketing, publications and sports video departments until his promotion to deputy athletics director in 2013.

Donations and capital gifts at Kentucky increased significantly under Peevy's leadership. As supervisor of the K Fund, Kentucky's development department, he secured gifts totaling $17 million of the $27 million raised for a new football training center, as well as $2.5 million of the $4 million for the men's basketball practice locker room renovation project.

As chair of Kentucky Athletics' Diversity Advocacy Committee, Peevy strongly believes in the role that athletics can serve in providing an inclusive and diverse culture for students-athletes, as well as the entire campus. Humbled by the opportunity to serve as DePaul's director of athletics, he has deep respect for the university's diverse community and mission of service.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Peevy's 23-year career in collegiate athletics began in media relations. He served as the sports information director for his alma mater, University of Montevallo in Alabama, for three years before becoming the media relations director for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Office. He also served on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Final Four Media Coordination Committee through the 2013 NCAA Championship. He previously was the sports information director representative on the board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Peevy received his bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from the University of Montevallo and earned his master's degree at the University of Kentucky/University of Louisville Executive MBA program in May 2021. He and his wife, Allison, have two children: Kaitlyn and Braden.

What They Are Saying About DeWayne Peevy
"DeWayne was one of the first people I met when I joined the DePaul community last year. It quickly became clear that his vision for athletics and DePaul as a whole will elevate our entire university. I'm pleased the board agreed with my recommendation to extend DeWayne's multiyear contract. I look forward to our continued work together as we develop partnerships within our university community, enhance student engagement, grow our national visibility, and invest further in our shared success."
- Robert L. Manuel, Ph.D, DePaul University President

"From the moment I met DeWayne, I knew immediately that his integrity and passion combined with his impressive collegiate athletics experience would elevate DePaul and its student-athletes to even higher levels. A visionary leader who cares deeply about his community, DeWayne demonstrates the Vincentian personalism we value so much at DePaul. Jo and I welcome DeWayne, Allison and their two children to the DePaul family."
- A. Gabriel Esteban, Ph.D, Former DePaul University President

"DeWayne is someone I trust wholeheartedly, to the point where he became the center of our scheduling and worked hand-in-hand with me on just about everything we do. It made it so that he and I talked every day, oftentimes multiple times a day. DePaul will see quickly that DeWayne is a gatherer, a listener, a consensus builder and an idea man who gathers the right people in place to execute. I can't wait to see what happens for the athletic department at DePaul and for DeWayne personally."
- John Calipari, University of Arkansas Men's Basketball Head Coach, Former University of Kentucky Men's Basketball Head Coach

"DeWayne is already a well-respected leader in college athletics as he has shown the ability to be effective in numerous areas of athletics administration. At UK, his impact will be felt for years to come, and we will be able to enjoy the memories of the successes in our program we experienced together. We're excited for him and look forward to seeing him grow the program at DePaul."
- Mitch Barnhart, University of Kentucky Director of Athletics

"DeWayne leaves UK with a lasting legacy. Without question, he helped lead our program to new heights of success in sports across our campus. But more importantly, he always put our student-athletes first, mentoring them and preparing them to lead lives of meaning and purpose, on our campus and in the broader world in which they have been called to serve. DePaul is gaining one of the country's finest young athletic administrators and leaders. And while he and his family will no longer be on our campus each day or on the sidelines cheering on our teams, they will always be members of the Big Blue Nation."
- Eli Capilouto, University of Kentucky President