Carleton Knights

Heidi Jaynes
Athletic Director
Chair of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation (PEAR)
Professor of PEAR
Office: Rec Center 219
Phone: 507-222-4447

Email:  hjaynes@carleton.edu

In April 2024, Heidi Jaynes was promoted to Athletic Director at Carleton in conjunction with Gerald Young announcing his retirement after 14 years overseeing the Physical Education, Athletics, and Recreation (PEAR) Department and 32 years of service overall at the College.

Jaynes officially took the reins of the PEAR Department on July 1, 2024 a little over six years after she was was promoted to Carleton’s full-time Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator and stepped down from her Head Volleyball Coaching role.

Jaynes is the second woman to oversee the entire athletic department at Carleton, joining Mylla Urban, who served as Athletic Director from 1988-92. Jaynes spent 19 seasons leading Carleton's volleyball program, the last eight of which involved both athletic administration 
and coaching duties. She stepped down from her coaching role in 2018 when she was promoted to be Carleton's full-time Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator. That change in job responsibilities came a year after she was selected as 1 of 30 senior woman administrators to participate in the NCAA Division III SWA Program held in conjunction with the Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) National Convention.
 
Jaynes also serves as Carleton's Title IX Deputy for Faculty and Staff, is active on MIAC committees, and is responsible for compliance, eligibility, SAAC, and NCAA policies. Jaynes currently sits on the Campus Facilities Planning Committee formed from Carleton's 2033 Strategic Plan.
 
She came to Northfield after coaching at the University of Oklahoma, where she was All-Conference, Academic All-Conference, captain, and MVP for the Sooners' volleyball team. She majored in Finance, International Business and earned her MBA at OU. At Carleton, she coached eight All-Americans, 11 All-Region athletes, two NCAA Postgraduate scholars, won the MIAC Conference title in 2004 and led the Knights to their highest national ranking at No. 8 in the AVCA Division III National Coaches poll in 2005.

Jaynes oversees Carleton’s NCAA and MIAC compliance and eligibility and continues to serve as the PEAR department’s liaison with Admissions, the Office of Health Promotions and the Student Health and Wellness Center, as well as serving as the Advisor for the Carleton Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She chairs the PEAR Equity Committee and serves on the PEAR Department’s Recruiting, Facilities and Leadership Committees. Jaynes has been active on Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference committees, serving on the Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the Management Committee, chairing the Senior Woman Administrator Committee, and serving as the Athletic Director Liaison to the MIAC’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coaches Committee.

During her 19 seasons running the Knights' volleyball program, Jaynes amassed 272 victories, the most in team history.  The Knights notched 13 winning seasons under her direction. That included seven consecutive years above .500, an unprecedented streak for Carleton. In fact, the program accumulated only nine winning seasons in the 26 years before Jaynes’ arrival.  Jaynes coached 12 AVCA All-Region players, eight AVCA All-Americans, and two NCAA Postgraduates. She led her volleyball team to the 2004 MIAC regular-season title. Additionally, the Knights made NCAA Championships appearances in 2005 and 2007. Jaynes was a two-time MIAC Coach-of-the-Year. In 2004, she earned American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) Central Region Coach of the Year.

Jaynes came to Carleton in 1999 from the University of Oklahoma, where she was a full-time 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 were she was a member of the JCPenny Leadership Program. She received her MBA from OU’s Price College of Business.   

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, and two daughters.