Nikki Ayers joined the University of Redlands as Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics on May 1, 2025, bringing more than two decades of experience in collegiate athletics administration and a deep commitment to student-athlete success. As a member of the University's senior leadership team, she provides strategic vision and oversight for a nationally respected NCAA Division III athletics program that includes 23 varsity sports and more than 600 student-athletes.
In her role, Ayers oversees all aspects of Bulldog Athletics, including strategic planning, financial management, competitive excellence, student-athlete well-being, compliance and departmental operations. She is dedicated to fostering an environment where student-athletes excel academically, athletically, and personally while advancing the University’s mission and values.
Ayers is an active leader within the national collegiate athletics landscape. She serves on the National Associate of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA) Board and is heavily involved with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Previously she was a member of the NCAA DIII Men’s Volleyball national committee and served as chair in 2025. She also served on the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules committee from 2018-2022, contributing to the governance and advancement of intercollegiate athletics at the national level.
Prior to joining Redlands, Ayers served as Director of Athletics at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania from 2022 to 2025. During her tenure, she left the department through a period of growth and success, advancing initiatives focused on student-athlete achievement, enrollment, facilities, and community engagement. Under her leadership, Juniata’s women’s volleyball program captured three consecutive National Championships. Before her appointment at Juniata, Ayers spent just under a decade at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS), rising to Associate Athletic Director and SWA while helping to support one a premier DIII Athletics program. Earlier in her career, she served as a collegiate soccer coach at Knox College, Grinnell College and Juniata College. Â
Ayers’ connection to Division III Athletics began as a standout student-athlete at Juniata College. A four-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) All-Conference selection in women’s soccer, she remains the program’s all-time leader in career goals, points and assists, while also holding the single-season assists record. As a senior, she received the Charles Bargerstock Award, presented annually to the female student-athlete who has made the greatest contribution to Juniata Athletics. In recognition of her accomplishments and lasting impact, she was inducted into the Juniata College Sports Hall of Fame in 2018, becoming the first soccer student-athlete, male or female, to receive the honor.
Ayers earned a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Juniata College and a Master of Science in Leadership with a concentration in Sport Leadership from Duquesne University.
