Lynn Hughes joined the Patriot League as its Director of Compliance and Sport Management in September of 2016. Hughes was promoted to Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Policy in September 2020.
Hughes will serve as the primary compliance officer for the League office and a contributing member of the sports management and governance team. She will work as the Patriot League’s administrative contact with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and oversee the League's academic index reporting in addition to assisting Commissioner Heppel with the Council of Presidents' communications, logistics and meeting planning.
“The Patriot League and its member institutions highly value the student-athlete experience both academically and through athletic competition,” Hughes said. “I’m grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve as a resource for the membership’s administrators, coaches and student-athletes in my new role.”
“Lynn Hughes has gained experience from a range of outstanding sources that will make her a great fit at with the Patriot League,” Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. “Her knowledge and passion for intercollegiate athletics will make her an excellent resource for our member institutions and student-athletes.”
Hughes joins the League after spending two years at the Mountain West Conference. She had served as the MW’s Compliance and Communications Coordinator since July 2015 after spending her first year with the Conference as the Sports Administration Intern. In her role in Colorado Springs, Colo., Hughes oversaw the Mountain West SAAC, serving as the liaison between the student-athletes and different Conference governance groups. She also provided on-site support for league championships, while assisting with management of coaches’ meetings.
Prior to her work with the Mountain West Conference, Hughes spent one year in Academic Services within the athletics department at the University of Oklahoma, where she oversaw class monitoring of approximately 500 student-athletes. Hughes began her career in intercollegiate athletics during her time as an undergraduate at Indiana University, working as a compliance intern and a student volunteer to the Senior Associate Athletics Director, assisting with Big Ten initiatives and examining coaching and sponsorship contracts.
Hughes, a Mechanicsburg, Ill. native, graduated from Indiana University, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology with a focus in sport marketing & management and sport communication-broadcast, while minoring in business. She earned her master of education with a focus in adult and higher education from the University of Oklahoma