UPDATED Augut 10, 2025
Erika (Ryskamp) Wallace was appointed Director of Athletics at Wayne State University in June of 2023, following a six-month period as interim director.Â
Her leadership has already driven significant advancements. After WSU finished 44th in the NACDA Directors’ Cup Standings (out of 302 schools) in her first full year as athletic director, the Warriors improved to a 39th-place finish in 2025.  In the community, Wayne State improved from 16th nationally to 11th in the country according to Helper Helper, and academically, WSU student-athletes set a school record with 84 4.0 term GPAs in the Fall 2024 semester and in the Winter term WSU student-athletes had a GPA of 3.38 along with a cumulative GPA of 3.45.
Among Wallace’s early accomplishments were the creation of Wayne State’s first-ever Assistant AD for Mental Health and Wellness position, underscoring her commitment to student-athlete well-being, and the launch of a partnership with 925Leaders to support WSU Athletics’ holistic growth through culture and character development. In her first month as interim AD, Wallace made the strategic hire of a new football coach, signaling her vision for the program’s future.
One of her most recent accomplishments is securing Wayne State’s first-ever sports marketing partnership with Ilitch Sports and Entertainment, making WSU the first Division II institution to create such a prominent collaboration with a professional sports organization. She also oversees the partnership with the Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons’ G League team, and previously negotiated the department’s inaugural apparel deal with BSN/NIKE.
In addition to her departmental impact, Wallace holds several prominent memberships. She is active in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Women Leaders in College Sports, where she graduated from the Institute for Advancement in 2017 and the Leadership Enhancement Institute in 2022. She is also a graduate of the D2ADA Women & Minority Mentorship Institute in 2022.
In July 2025, Wallace announced the addition of Wayne State’s first-ever women’s soccer program, which will begin competition in Fall 2026, marking a historic expansion of athletic opportunities for female student-athletes. This addition brings Wayne State’s sport offerings to 19 programs in total, with 11 women’s teams and eight men’s teams.
In 2024, Wallace was elected Chair of the DII NCAA National Women’s Basketball Committee after serving as Midwest Regional Chair for two years. She previously served on the NCAA Softball Regional Advisory Committee from 2021 to 2023.
Wallace’s leadership influence extends across Wayne State University, as she is a member of the President’s Division Heads team, underscoring the President’s commitment to Athletics and giving Wallace a prominent role in campus-wide decision-making.
She joined WSU in 2019 as Athletic Chief of Staff, contributing to strategic initiatives and overseeing WSU’s 18 athletic programs. Wallace played a key role in opening WSU’s $28.5 million Fieldhouse in 2021 and became Senior Woman Administrator in 2022, with added responsibilities for both men’s and women’s basketball.
Wallace began her career at Grand Valley State University, where she held multiple roles across admissions, financial aid, and athletics. As Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator, she managed compliance, budgets, and team operations, and served on key committees.
Wallace earned a Bachelor’s in Exercise Physiology and a Master’s in Public Administration from GVSU. She was a four-year letterwinner and captain for the GVSU women’s basketball team, leading them to a national title in 2005-06. Inducted into the Lakers Hall of Fame in 2015, she remains among the program’s all-time leaders in career points and three-pointers.
Wallace and her husband Marcus, a GVSU basketball alumnus, live in Farmington Hills with their two children, Sydney and Marley.
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