This feature is part of a series profiling the seven members of the UIC Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023. This year's class will be inducted during ceremonies on Sept. 23 as part of the inaugural Flames Fest weekend at UIC.
 
By Phil Bergman, UIC Associate Athletics Director – Creative Services & Broadcasting
 
For nearly four decades, Jim Schmidt was synonymous with UIC Athletics. The former longtime administrator transformed UIC into a competitive and a prominent destination for student-athletes in Chicago. Thus, it's no surprise UIC's longest-serving director of athletics is part of the seven-member UIC Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023 that will be inducted Saturday.
 
"It's certainly an honor being inducted into the prestigious UIC Athletics Hall of Fame and it's especially an honor because I'm going in with six of maybe the best athletes in one class that's ever gone in," Schmidt said. "The other thing that is humbling for me is that I'm doing this on the shoulders of all my staff and coaches along with so many alumni and donors that were involved during my 22 years as director of athletics at UIC."
 
After arriving at UIC in 1982, Schmidt served as the pitching coach on the Flames' baseball staff. From 1983-86, Schmidt was an assistant athletics director and handled all sports information, marketing, promotions and daily operations for the department. In 1987, he was named an associate athletics director and, in September 1995, he assumed the role of interim director of athletics before being named permanently to the role in December 1996. He served as Director of Athletics for 22 years until his retirement in 2017.
 
"I was a young kid coming out of graduate school and really didn't know anything about Division 1 athletics and I found a program that I thought would have a lot of upside, especially in the city of Chicago," Schmidt said. "To think I would be there (over) 30 years, I had no clue whatsoever."
 
During Schmidt's tenure, UIC athletic programs advanced to NCAA postseason play 40 times and won 69 conference championships, twice earning the Horizon League's James J. McCafferty Trophy (2000, 2007) as the most successful all-around athletics program in the conference. With Schmidt at the helm, the Flames also received their first NCAA Division I postseason bids in men's basketball (1998), women's tennis (1999), men's soccer (1999) and baseball (2003). The women's tennis program created a dynasty, winning 16 consecutive conference titles and making 14 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
"I think we accomplished what we set out to do, which was to raise the competitive level of our athletics programs," Schmidt said. "By the end of my tenure, we were not only beating teams in the state regularly, but also beating programs nationally."
 
Under Schmidt's stewardship, UIC student-athletes excelled in the classroom, posting record-setting team grade-point averages (GPA). Schmidt also played a key role in the addition of two varsity programs (women's golf and women's soccer), spearheaded multimillion-dollar improvements to the UIC Pavilion (now known as Credit Union 1 Arena), and was instrumental in the construction of the Flames Athletic Center and Curtis Granderson Stadium.
 
"Jim was about the development of the whole person and made sure when people left UIC (that) they had a great experience," said former Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone. "We always had the greatest admiration for what they did at UIC. Jim built UIC to what it is today, which is an outstanding athletic program in a great city."
 
In 2014-15, Schmidt was named Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), one of only four honorees from Division I-AAA that year.  He is the 13^th former administrator to be inducted into the UIC Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
"I've met so many great people and I had so many great people work for me during my time at UIC — that's what I'm intertwined with," Schmidt said. "I can't give enough credit to my staff. I had staff work with me for 15, 20 and 30 years. Those kinds of things really put my career on the track where I am today."
 
As Schmidt heads into the UIC Athletics Hall of Fame, several of his former coaches have fond memories of their time with their boss.
 
"When I think of Jim Schmidt, I think of one of the best leaders I've ever had the opportunity to work for, and with," said Shannon Tully, UIC's former women's tennis head coach from 2001-23.
 
"To have been the athletics director for 22 years and to have done an amazing job for UIC over that period is quite the accomplishment," said John Trask, UIC's former men's soccer head coach who was hired by Schmidt in 2005. "I wish him well and congratulate him on his induction into the UIC Athletics Hall of Fame."
 
Now retired, Schmidt still makes his home in the Chicagoland area and maintains a keen interest in UIC athletics, believing the future is exceptionally bright for the Flames.
 
"There's an unlimited opportunity and no ceiling on what athletics can do," he noted. "It will be unbelievable what they can do in the Missouri Valley (Conference) and beyond."