Lee Zerrusen Named Director of Varsity "I" At University of Illinois

By @IlliniBaseball

Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced Monday the hiring of Lee Zerrusen as Director of Varsity "I", the engagement program for former Fighting Illini student-athletes.

"We are pleased to welcome former Fighting Illini baseball player Lee Zerrusen as our new Director of the Varsity "I", Whitman said. "As a former student-athlete myself, this position has critical importance to me. We must expand upon our efforts to engage with our former letterwinners, all of whom have laid the foundation upon which this program is built. Whether they left campus three years ago or 30 years ago, we want this program to always feel like home. Our student-athletes, past and present, form the backbone of Illinois Athletics. With Lee's strong vision and boundless energy, I have great confidence that we will build Varsity "I" into one of the most robust, dynamic letterwinner organizations in the country."

Zerrusen, who played ball and graduated from Teutopolis High School, represented the Orange and Blue on the mound as a pitcher for Coach Dan Hartleb's program from 2007-11. He appeared in 57 games over four seasons, including 21 starts. He was a member of the 2011 Illini squad that swept Big Ten regular season and conference tournament championships, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree concluded his career as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

Zerrusen takes over leadership of Varsity "I" after serving as coordinator of student, alumni and corporate relations for the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering (ISE) since November 2014. While there, he created ISE's first Corporate Partners Program, working with companies that range from start-ups valued over $1 billion to Fortune 500 level. He also managed the ISE Engineer in Residence program and oversaw all alumni relations initiatives in ISE, creating and enhancing programs to better engage with constituents.

"I am both honored and humbled to be named the new Director of the Varsity "I" program," Zerrusen said. "From attending games as a child to becoming a member of the Fighting Illini Baseball program, Illinois Athletics has always been a true passion of mine. Our student-athletes have laid the foundation of our program and are critical to our future success. My time at the University of Illinois has had a tremendous impact on me as an individual. Knowing what being a student-athlete has meant to my life energizes me to work to ensure our current and future student-athletes have an even more impactful experience. I am excited for the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with our former letter winners to help the Varsity "I" program reach our lofty expectations."

Zerrusen previously worked in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) for three years, beginning as an assistant in the summer camps office before serving as event coordinator. During this time in the DIA he managed event operations for soccer and gymnastics, instructed game-day staff at home football games, assisted in the hosting of IHSA and NCAA postseason events, and coordinated team and summer camps for various sports.

"I am extremely pleased that Lee will be joining our team as Director of the Varsity "I" program," said Howard Milton, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development. "As an alumnus and former Fighting Illini student-athlete, he has a genuine passion for this great university. In addition to his academic and athletic experiences at Illinois, he is a former DIA staff member and, most recently, worked with the alumni and corporate friends of the College of Engineering at Illinois – one of the top engineering schools in the world. He possesses a unique combination of talent, energy, and experience that will play a tremendous role in his success with Varsity "I". I could not be happier to welcome Lee back to Illinois Athletics!"

Zerrusen earned two degrees from the University of Illinois, a bachelor's in kinesiology in 2010 and a master's in sport management in 2011. He is married to the former Peyton Roytek, a 2010 UI graduate who also is Varsity "I" member as a former Illini cheerleader. The Zerrusens live in Mahomet with their two sons, James and Michael.