Sara Burton was named Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sports Administration at the University of Illinois in August 2018. She was appointed the department’s Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) in 2020 and, in March 2023, assumed the title of Chief Sports Officer.
In her current role, Burton is a member of the department’s executive leadership team, helping to shape strategic direction. She oversees the sport administration staff and serves as the sport administrator for several Illinois teams, including women’s basketball, softball, men’s gymnastics, and women’s soccer. As SWA, she represents Illinois within Big Ten Conference governance and contributes to leadership efforts with the Administrators Council and the Olympic Sports Oversight Committee. She also contributes nationally by serving on the NCAA Sports Oversight Committee.
Burton has led several key departmental initiatives, including:
- Chairing the Illini Way Steering Committee (2018–2024), focused on the cultural health of Illinois Athletics
- Leading the planning of the Illini Way Trust Summit in 2021
- Co-facilitating the department’s Strategic Priorities Plan
- Organizing the 50th Anniversary of Title IX celebration
She previously oversaw men’s and women’s track and cross country, volleyball, and women’s gymnastics.
Before joining Illinois, Burton worked alongside Athletic Director Josh Whitman at both the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Washington University in St. Louis, where she served as Associate AD and SWA. At WashU, she supervised multiple sports, including track and field/cross country, golf, tennis, volleyball, women’s basketball, and softball. She also led initiatives in diversity and inclusion, student-athlete wellness, and marketing. Notably, she spearheaded the department’s “You Can Play” video campaign to promote inclusion in sports.
Burton spent 22 years at Wisconsin-La Crosse, including 20 years as head women’s soccer coach, compiling one of the most successful records in school and conference history. Under Whitman’s leadership, she transitioned into the role of Student-Athlete Success Coordinator, supporting coaches and student-athletes through various initiatives. She also served on the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship Committee and the NCAA Soccer Rules Committee.
Her coaching career began at the University of Chicago as an assistant women’s soccer coach, followed by a year at Oberlin College, where she assisted in both women’s soccer and basketball.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Burton earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology/anthropology from Knox College in 1991, where she was a four-time letter winner and two-time captain in women’s soccer. She also lettered in soccer and basketball at Edison High School, earning Student-Athlete of the Year honors in 1987. She completed her master’s degree in sports administration at UW-La Crosse in 1996.
Burton is married to Jenny King.
Updated August 2025
