Joel Zimba serves as the Executive Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations and Men’s Basketball General Manager at the University of Evansville.
Appointed to the role of Executive Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations in the summer of 2024, Joel Zimba plays a vital role as the second-in-command within the athletics department. His responsibilities include overseeing all external-facing athletic operations, which encompass areas such as communication, community relations, game operations, marketing, fan engagement, media relations, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiatives, Purple Aces Productions (ESPN), and revenue generation. Additionally, he acts as the liaison to Learfield. Joel supervises the men’s basketball, men’s soccer, cross country, and track and field programs in his role as sports administrator.
"I humbly thank Dr. Ziggy Siegfried and President (Christopher M.) Pietruszkiewicz for the opportunity to become the Executive Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations at the University of Evansville," Zimba said. "Ziggy has transformed UE into one of the premier athletic departments in the country and, more importantly, has created a culture built on enthusiasm, hard work, and integrity."
In June 2025, Joel was appointed Men’s Basketball General Manager in addition to his previous duties. In this role, he supports the program through various avenues, including day-to-day administrative duties related to sports supervision, revenue sharing, NIL strategies, and player management.
Beyond his current roles, Joel has made a significant impact on student-athlete participation and professional development in the Verona Area School District. His leadership facilitated the growth of over 25 sports and more than 50 club teams, creating greater opportunities for student engagement. He has directly supervised and mentored more than 120 employees, including coaches, administrators, and support staff, and successfully established four part-time district athletic administrative positions, reinforcing the district’s mission. His negotiation efforts also led to a district-wide co-curricular compensation increase of 12%, aimed at attracting and retaining exceptional coaching talent.
Before his tenure in Verona, Joel held multiple positions at Valparaiso University from 2015 to 2019. He began as a Graduate Assistant for the men’s basketball program before being promoted to Director of Men’s Basketball Operations. He managed various aspects, including budget administration, facility oversight, equipment inventory, team travel coordination, practice scheduling, and summer camp operations. In his final year at Valparaiso, he transitioned to Assistant Director of Annual Giving, where he played an instrumental role in donor engagement, successfully securing over $700,000 in contributions from more than 2,000 donors while significantly expanding the President’s Circle with 125 new supporters.
Joel Zimba holds a Master of Science in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University and a Bachelor of Letters & Science in Afro-American Studies Intergroup Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A devoted family man, Joel and his wife, Krystin, are parents to their five-year-old son, Tayden, and welcomed their second son, Beckham, in May 2025.
