Heidi Jaynes
Athletic Director
Chair of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation (PEAR)
Professor of PEAR
Office: Rec Center 219
Phone: 507-222-4447
Email: Â hjaynes@carleton.edu
In July 2024, Heidi Jaynes assumed leadership of Carleton College’s Physical Education, Athletics, and Recreation (PEAR) Department as athletic director and department chair. Jaynes oversees the largest department on campus consisting of 20 NCAA varsity sports, 22 sport clubs, 14 faculty and 43 staff members, a Physical Education curriculum as well as recreation and intramurals. Jaynes currently sits on the Campus Facilities Planning Committee, a key component of Carleton’s 2033 Strategic Plan, as well as the Leadership Advisory Board, the Rec Advisory Board and the Facilities Change Committee. She is a member of National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), National Association of Division III Athletics Administrators (NADIIIAA), Women Leaders in Sports, and the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD). Jaynes has participated in the NCAA Foundations of Fundraising program, the NCAA Division III SWA Program and the BOSCA Revenue Generation Academy. She was recently selected as a member of the NCAA Division III Analysis Working Group.
Prior to her appointment as Athletic Director, Jaynes served for 14 years as the Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA). In that role she oversaw compliance, eligibility, NIL and Carleton’s gear contract. She was also the Healthcare Administrator, chaired the PEAR Equity Committee, advised SAAC, and was the liaison for Admissions, the Office of Health Promotions, and the Student Health and Wellness Center. At the conference level, Jaynes has served on the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Management Committee, chaired the SWA Committee as well as served on Strategic Planning, Awards and the Gender Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. During her time as Associate AD she also served as Carleton’s Title IX Deputy for Faculty and Staff for five years.
In addition to her administrative roles, Jaynes spent 19 seasons as the head coach of Carleton Volleyball, becoming the winningest coach in program history. Under her leadership, Jaynes coached 8 All-Americans, 12 All-Region players, and 2 NCAA Postgraduate Scholars and had a program-high national ranking of No. 8 in 2005. The Knights were the 2004 MIAC Champions and appeared in two NCAA Tournaments (2005, 2007).
Jaynes came to Carleton in 1999 from the University of Oklahoma, where she was an assistant coach with the Sooners’ Volleyball Team. Jaynes was a four-year starting middle blocker at OU, prior to her coaching role, and was a team captain, team MVP, Big 8 All-Conference and Academic All-Big 8 performer. Jaynes double-majored in Finance and International Business at the University of Oklahoma where she was a member of the JCPenny Leadership Program. She received her MBA from OU’s Price College of Business in 1999.  Â
Jaynes is a Minnesota native who attended Mabel-Canton High School, where she was an All-State Volleyball and Basketball student-athlete. She resides near Northfield with her husband, Andy, a former basketball coach at the University of Kansas and Oklahoma. Their daughters Sydney and Teagan are currently collegiate volleyball student-athletes at the University of Tennessee and Montana State, respectively.
