Former Ritzville woman lands athletics job at Eastern

CHENEY – A former Ritzville woman has found her calling at Eastern Washington University.

Courtney Bilodeaux, 30, now of Cheney, has been named associate athletic director for academic success at Eastern Washington University.

"As a two time alumni and student athlete, I am looking forward to being a part of Eagle athletics and being a part of the department more closely," she said last week.

Bilodeaux, who lived in Cheney until second-grade, moved to Ritzville when her dad got a job with the Adams County Sheriffs Office. She later graduated from Ritzville High School in 2009.

During her time in Ritzville, she was involved in basketball, volleyball, track and field and Future Business Leaders of America.

Although Bilodeaux opted out of collegiate athletics during her undergraduate study, she coached for Ritzville middle school and high school for four years.

She is now coaching seventh-grade girls basketball at Cheney Middle School.

Bilodeaux began her freshman year at Eastern Washington University in 2009.

She said she chose Eastern because her mom had worked there for so long and it felt like home.

During her time as an undergraduate student, she worked in promotions and ticket sales. She also participated in intramural sports like volleyball, basketball and flag football.

Bilodeaux graduated with her bachelor's degree in exercise science and went on to get her master's degree in sports and recreation administration, with an emphasis in sports psychology.

After graduation, she was a student success adviser from 2016-20 and became a senior adviser after that.

In 2018, she received a certificate of merit for excellence in advising from the National Academic Advising Association.

Bilodeaux said she is looking forward to assisting students academically and professionally.

Off-campus, her and her husband, Jordan Bilodeaux, live in Cheney with their 16-month-old daughter.

She is the daughter of Stacy and Shannon Roark.

Bilodeaux has two dogs and is an avid outdoor enthusiast. In her free time, she likes to go hiking, snowshoeing, all-terrain vehicle riding and boating.

Reporter Sarah Stephens can be reached at [email protected]