What to know about Bradley AD Chris Reynolds, the NCAA tournament selection committee chairman
Chris Reynolds was named Bradley's athletic director in 2015 and three years later was elevated to the Peoria university's vice president for intercollegiate athletics.
In 2021, Reynolds was named the chairperson of the NCAA men's basketball tournament selection committee, which picks and seeds the 68 teams in the annual men's basketball tournament.
Expect to see Reynolds' smiling face on ESPN and beyond this selection Sunday as he makes the media rounds to discuss the 2023 March Madness field.
Background: How Bradley AD Chris Reynolds landed atop the NCAA men's basketball committee
Chris Reynolds grew up in Peoria, Illinois
Reynolds is a 1989 graduate of Peoria High School, where he helped lead the Lions to a Class 2A runner-up finish in the ’89 state finals. The two-time all-state guard was part of one of an IHSA classic when his Peoria High Lions lost to East St. Louis Lincoln in triple-overtime.
“The city of Peoria will always have a special place in my heart,” he said. “It is the place that I learned a great deal about life and helped shape who I am today.”
Reynolds lives is married to his wife, Katrina. They have two children, Joshua and Olivia, the latter a star tennis player for Richwoods.
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Chris Reynolds played for Bobby Knight at Indiana
Reynolds earned his bachelor's degree in 1993, a law degree three years later and a Ph.D. in 2012 — all from Indiana. On the court, Reynolds was a guard who played for Bobby Knight on Indiana teams that won Big Ten Conference championships in 1991 and 1993 and advanced to the 1992 Final Four.
Reynolds still ranks among the top 13 in school history in games played (129), single-season steals (49 in 1991-92), career steals (135) and career assists (356).
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Chris Reynolds has worked around the Midwest
Reynolds came to Bradley from Northwestern, where he was deputy director of athletics for operations and administration. Before that, Reynolds spent nine years at his alma mater of Indiana in a variety of roles at the school and within the athletic department — from adjunct professor, to media relations to work as senior associate athletic director.
Reynolds also spent time in the compliance offices at Notre Dame and Michigan State, worked as an intern at the NCAA national office and served as assistant athletics director at Western Michigan.
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Chris Reynolds has brought success to Bradley
Under Reynolds, the school has won 13 Missouri Valley championships — the most for the school during any 10-year span. In 2018-19, Bradley ranked fifth in the MVC All-Sports standings, its highest finish since 1987-88. In 2021, he was named the Division I-AAA NACDA Athletics Director of the Year.
Academically, Bradley is among the top-performing schools in the Missouri Valley. It is just one of 13 in the nation with multiple Academic All-Americans in each of the last eight years. Reynolds has overseen a new apparel partnership with Under Armour, a 2019 revamping of the ticketing system and multiple facility upgrades on campus and off-site locations like Louisville Slugger Sports Complex, Shea Stadium and Dozer Park.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Who is Chris Reynolds? Meet the NCAA selection committee chairman
