Kim Blum starts her 22nd year at UW-La Crosse in 2025-26, including her 11th as Director of Athletics. She served as the university’s interim director of athletics in 2014-15. Prior to being named director of athletics, Blum was UWL’s Associate Athletic Director from 2004-13 and Deputy Director of Athletics in 2013-14.
Blum directly supervises the department's deputy director, media relations director, administrative assistant, and 16 head coaches.
UWL has won 17 national championships, including nine since 2023, under Blum’s tenure as director of athletics. The Eagles secured four titles in 2024-25 with UWL winning the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championship and men’s cross country, and men’s indoor and outdoor track & field sweeping the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III titles. Thirteen teams competed in the national championships in 2024-25.
The Eagles have finished in the top-21 in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup Standings nine different seasons under Blum, including 10th in 2024-25. UWL was also 10th in 2014-15 and 2015-16. The award was not presented in 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 public health threat.
UWL has won 82 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships in the last 11 years under Blum. The Eagles captured nine league titles in 2024-25 as 18 of 21 teams finished in the top-three in the conference standings.
Blum is the staff liaison to the UWL Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Along with the athletic success, UWL has earned the WIAC All-Academic Award in the last 11 years. The award is presented to institutions with a grade point average of its student-athletes that is equal to, or greater than, the grade point average of the overall student body. UWL’s student-athletes compiled a 3.329 cumulative grade point average in 2023-24.
Blum spearheads UWL’s athletic fundraising efforts in enhancing the student-athlete experience while assisting the department in a variety of ways, including additional travel opportunities, new athletic equipment and general support.
During Blum’s years at UWL, the budget has been balanced throughout and over 15 FTE positions have been added to the athletic staff.
Prior to Blum’s service as the Athletic Director, unfortunately the sports of men’s tennis and baseball were cut. Head coaches Bill Hehli and Chris Schwarz were critical in keeping the sport funding intact, for those 12 years, but in 2021, Blum was able to have both sports returned to university funding.
During her tenure several major facility projects occurred including the new Hetzel Fieldhouse, new football turf, new soccer/lacrosse stadium, new baseball turf, and new outdoor tennis courts. She also championed branding efforts, including As An Eagle and Building Champions. In Sport. In School. In Life.
She initiated the “Building Champions” project between UWL, the City of La Crosse Parks, Recreation, & Forestry Department and local building businesses. The “Building Champions Trail,” located in Hixon Forest opened in 2017. The trail includes a one-mile educational loop featuring savanna ecosystems, three goat prairies, and three scenic overlooks, as well as information about the plants and wildlife that utilize the area. The “Building Champions” program also combined for the renovated Myrick Park Kids Coulee Playground featuring a new playground area and zip line. A third community project is underway located near the Mississippi River.
She created the ESSLY’s (Eagle Sport, School. Life Yearly Awards) in 2015, the culminating awards ceremony each year for student-athletes.
She has helped lead the university's efforts to host the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships (2011, 2012, 2017, 2024, 2027) and the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships (2013, 2018, 2026). UWL has also hosted numerous other national competitions, including football, soccer, men’s basketball, baseball and softball.
Blum served on the NCAA Wrestling Committee from 2020-24, serving as committee chair for the final two years.
As Deputy Director at UWL, Blum was involved in all aspects of the athletics program, including strategic planning, personnel, facilities, and resource development. Her primary duties include managing the athletic program's business operations and budget, and serving as the program's chief compliance officer, responsible for certifying student-athlete eligibility and monitoring compliance with the NCAA and WIAC rules and regulations.
In addition, Blum had immediate oversight for all of the program's internal functions, including event management, facilities, camps and clinics, athletic training, exercise sports science and sports performance.
She served on the NCGA Executive Committee and was selected the 2013-14 and 2018-19 Division III West Region Administrator of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W).
Blum was named the 2013-14 National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) Administrator of the Year for NCAA Division III.
Prior to coming to UWL, Blum was the women's track & field head coach and associate athletic director at Winona State University (Minn.) for seven years. She earned her bachelor's (recreation management) and master's (sport administration) degrees from UWL and served as an administrative graduate assistant in intercollegiate athletics at UWL for two years. Blum graduated from Tomahawk (Wis.) High School.
Along with her coaching duties at Winona State (Minn.), Blum has served as an assistant track & field coach at Whitnall (Wis.), Sparta (Wis.) and Onalaska (Wis.) High School. She worked as the assistant coordinator of intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports at Marquette University (Wis.) for two years.
Blum and her husband, Lyle, have three children, Jake (Addie), Nick and Josie.
