Kristin Hughes Appointed as New Director of Athletics

Kristin Hughes S.M. ’93, the director of athletics for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has been appointed as Smith College’s new director of athletics and recreation effective July 21. An experienced administrator and coach, Hughes is a graduate of Smith College’s master of science in exercise and sports studies (ESS) program.

She succeeds Lynn Oberbillig, who has served as the director of athletics and recreation at Smith since 1993, and who will transition to the college’s Exercise and Sport Studies (ESS) department as a full-time lecturer on July 1, 2015.

Before being hired by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District, where she has worked since 2007 supervising the operation of 27 athletic teams and 75 coaches, Hughes was the head women’s basketball coach at Colgate University. At Case Western University, Hughes also served as the head women’s basketball coach, interim director of athletics, assistant director of athletics and primary women’s administrator.

“I am extremely excited to become a part of the Smith College community,” Hughes said. “My coaching career began at Smith, so to come full circle and return to campus as the athletic director is truly rewarding.”

At Smith, Hughes will oversee 13 intercollegiate teams competing in the NCAA Division III; club and intramural sports; multiple athletic, recreation and fitness facilities; and a large and robust recreation program that serves the entire college community.

“Kristin brings tremendous breadth of experience, having served as an athletic administrator and coach in several NCAA divisions, as well as in a large urban public school system,” said Donna Lisker, Smith’s dean of the college. “She impressed all members of the Smith community – faculty, staff inside and outside the Athletics department, student-athletes – and all of them said that she’s exactly the right person to take Smith athletics to the next level.  She will build on the legacy of excellence established under Lynn Oberbillig, and we’re particularly happy to bring back one of our own ESS graduates.”

Hughes received a bachelor’s degree in biology and secondary education from Elms College in Chicopee, Mass., before earning her master’s of science degree in exercise and sports studies from Smith.