Began at Illinois
April 2011

Education
Szymoniak graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and was a four-year letter winner for the Bulldogs from 2002-06. While at Georgia, Szymoniak took medalist honors at the 2004 Mason Rudolph Championship and recorded top-10 finishes at the 2004 Lady Puerto Rico Classic and the 2006 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic. As a junior, Szymoniak was named the National and SEC Golfer of the Week for her victory at the Mason Rudolph Championship.

Along with Szymoniak’s athletic accomplishments, she was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll each of her four years; to the SEC Good Works Team in 2004, 2005, and 2006; and to the Dean’s List in 2003 and 2004.

Job Responsibilities
Szymoniak oversees the facilities maintenance and readiness for Illinois more than 15 buildings. She leads a group of more than 40 staff of 24-hour a day staffing to ensure the buildings  and competition surfaces are operating at the highest level. 

Past Experience
Szymoniak spent nine season as Illinois’ director of men’s golf operations after joining the program from 2013-2022. Szymoniak handled all administrative aspects of the Fighting Illini program, oversees the Demirjian Indoor Practice Facility and Lauritsen/Wohlers Outdoor Practice Facility, serves as tournament coordinator for the Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational and the Illini Golf Classic hosted by Illini Tour Professionals. Prior to that appointment, she served for two years as Illinois’ assistant women’s golf coach.

While working with the Illini women’s team, Szymoniak helped the Orange and Blue to an NCAA regional berth for the second year in a row and fourth time in school history. The Illini also placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships, which was the program’s best finish since 2002 and top showing at the conference tournament under head coach Renee Slone. Illinois also twice set the team school record for a 54-hole tournament total and turned in the top two individual tournament and team single round performances in school history.

Szymoniak spent the 2010-11 season as a full-time assistant coach for the Georgia State women’s program after serving as graduate assistant coach during the 2009-10 season. While a graduate assistant coach, Szymoniak obtained her master’s degree in sports administration. At Georgia State, Szymoniak guided the Panthers to four team victories, including the 2010 Colonial Athletic Association Championship. The Panthers also advanced to the NCAA East Regional in 2010 and qualified an individual for the 2011 NCAA East Regional.

Personal
After college, Szymoniak played professionally on the Duramed FUTURES Tour, the second-highest level of women’s professional golf, for the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

As a junior golfer, Szymoniak was a three-time America Junior Golf Association (AJGA) All-American. She was a 2001 and 2002 AJGA Canon Cup East team member and also winner of five national titles.

Szymoniak has vast experience as a teaching professional, having worked as a golf instructor at summer camps at Westhampton Country Club in Westhampton, N.Y., UGA Men’s and Women’s Golf Camps in Athens, Ga., and at Canongate at Summer Grove Golf Club in Newnan, Ga., throughout her junior and collegiate years.