College Sports Commission hires Katie Medearis as head of investigations

The College Sports Commission has hired federal prosecutor Katie Medearis as its head of investigations, the commission announced Wednesday. She will begin her new role Nov. 10.

Medearis previously worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, where she served as the Criminal Division Chief. She has also worked in U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Virginia and California, and previously served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Department of Justice.

In her role with the CSC, Medearis will oversee the commission’s investigative and enforcement operations. That includes enforcement of rules related to the House settlement such as revenue-sharing and policies around NIL deals. She will also serve as deputy general counsel.

“Katie’s broad range of investigative experience and her track record of hiring and developing talent make her an outstanding addition to our team,” said College Sports Commission CEO Bryan Seeley in a statement. “Her proven ability to tackle complex challenges will be instrumental as we work to build a fair and accountable future for college sports, underpinned by robust and consistent enforcement.”

Medearis has overseen hundreds of investigations and prosecutions, the CSC said in a press release. They involved federal offenses such as corruption, financial fraud, cyberstalking and others. In her role at DOJ, she took on a key role with policy and enforcement as she oversaw portfolios for the FBI, DEA, ATF and U.S. Marshals.

“College sports are undergoing historic change, and effective oversight is essential to safeguard the new opportunities created by the House settlement,” Medearis said in a statement. “I am honored to join the College Sports Commission at this turning point, and am confident we can deliver the integrity, fairness and transparency that student-athletes, institutions and fans expect.”

The College Sports Commission officially launched in June following approval of the landmark House settlement. Shortly after the agreement received final approval, the CSC announced Seeley as its CEO. He arrived from Major League Baseball, where he worked as MLB’s senior executive vice president of investigations.

The CSC is taking a lead role in enforcing key terms of the House settlement such as revenue-sharing and the NIL Go clearinghouse. Run by Deloitte, NIL Go is vetting deals worth more than $600. In its debut report in September, the College Sports Commission announced NIL Go cleared $35.4 million in deals.