Reggie Brooks, a former football All-America running back and graduate of the University of Notre Dame, is in his first year as Executive Director with Holtz’s Heroes Foundation, Inc. In this role, Brooks will manage and advance the Foundation’s mission through planning and directing its programming, administration, operations, financial management, fundraising, staffing, marketing, educational programs, and public outreach. He will collaborate with the Foundation’s Board of Directors, primarily through its Executive Committee to develop and supervise the Foundation’s annual budget and sponsored events and activities.

Previously, Brooks served as Assistant Athletics Director, Athletics Alumni Outreach & Engagement with Notre Dame Athletics. In that role he served as the liaison between the athletics department and athletics alumni, working to increase stewardship and engagement with the implementation of strategies to promote outreach to former student-athletes and other guests of the department. Prior to that he served as the Manager for Monogram/Football Alumni Relations. In addition to his role as assistant athletics director Brooks served as the sport administrator for the Notre Dame men’s and women’s cross country and track & field programs. Brooks also assisted Fighting Irish Digital Media (FIDM) with coverage of Notre Dame football and was a fixture on the Official Notre Dame Football Post-Game Show, as well as other FIDM productions.

A native of Tulsa, Okla., Brooks played under former Irish head coach Lou Holtz from 1989-92. After starting his career as a defensive back, Brooks eventually moved to tailback, where he earned second-team All-America status and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting after a stellar senior campaign in 1992. That season, he rushed for 1,372 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, averaging 122.1 yards per game and an even more impressive 8.0 yards per carry as the Irish went 10-1-1, including a 28-3 rout of Texas A&M in the 1993 Cotton Bowl. Brooks remains quite visible throughout the Notre Dame record books. His career average of 7.6 yards per rush is still a school record, while his 1,372 yards rushing in ’92 rank third-best in single-season school history.

Brooks’ 227-yard game at USC on Nov. 28, 1992, also ranks as the fourth-highest single-game rushing effort in school history. In addition, he stands among the top 10 in the following single-season categories at Notre Dame: yards per rush (second at 8.0, ’92), yards rushing per game (third at 122.1, ’92), 100-yard rushing games (eighth with five, ’92) and rushing touchdowns (eighth with 13, ’92). Brooks played four seasons in the National Football League, predominantly in Washington (1993-95), after the Redskins selected him in the second round of the ’93 NFL Draft (45th overall pick). He finished with 1,726 career rushing yards, including 223 carries for 1,063 yards as a rookie in ’93. He also was named to the 1993 NFL All-Rookie Team by the Pro Football Writers of America.

Upon retirement from the NFL, Brooks worked with The NORDAM Group in Tulsa for six years as a PC network technician and system business analyst. Prior to taking his initial OIT job at Notre Dame, he was the IT Network Specialist for Union Public Schools in Tulsa. Brooks also previously served as an assistant coach for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe and as an intern for the Indianapolis Colts. Brooks graduated from Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems. Brooks graduated with a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 2015.

Reggie Brooks