UIC Athletics

Brett Haffner joined UIC Athletics in October 2026, serving as an Academic Advisor with the Student-Athlete Academic Services (SAAS) team. He works closely with the Flames' men’s and women’s cross country/track & field, volleyball and men’s soccer programs.

Prior to joining the Flames, Haffner previously spent time at Loyola University in Chicago as an Academic Advisor with the office of First and Second Year Advising (FSYA), primarily working with the Interdisciplinary Honors population. He also served as the FSYA departmental liaison for Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics and contributed to various data analysis projects as a member of the Assessment and Technology committees.

Haffner earned his Master of Science in Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity from Illinois State University and worked as a Research Assistant from 2023-25. During this time, he also served as the Assistant for Student-Athlete Wellness at Illinois Wesleyan University, delivering sport psychology and mental skills workshops to over 450 student-athletes. He conducted and presented research on first-year collegiate transitions, resilience, and transferrable life skills at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) Annual Conference in 2024.

As a student-athlete, Haffner competed in cross country and track at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He served as a team representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) from 2020-22, qualified for the 2021 NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championships, and was a three-time USTFCCCA Academic All-American.

Haffner is originally from Darien, Illinois, and currently resides in Chicago.