USD Women's Basketball 2002-2003

The USBlllh/Blic Benanment

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DirectorolAlhlelics

Tom Iannacone Tom Iannacone is in his fifteenth year as Director of Athletics at the University of San Diego. He was named Director of Athletics on September 1, 1988 after holding the same position the previous four years at St. Francis College of Pennsylvania. At USO, Iannacone directs an Athletic Department that includes sixteen NCAA Division I intercollegiate varsity teams, eight men's and eight women's, plus intramurals and recreation. In the last fourteen years behind his direction and leadership, Torero Athletics has enjoyed successes both on and off the playing field. His accomplishments at USO include improvements in the major areas of personnel, scholarship assistance, facilities, promotions and marketing, fund raising, drug education, academic support, and a university approved plan for scholarship support and sports sponsorship. In addition, he was instrumental in USO gaining membership to the Pioneer Football League, which began play in 1993. He has served on the I-AA Athletic Directors Association Executive Committee; and is past Chairman of the West Coast Conference Athletics Directors Committee. During lannacone's tenure, all athletic facilities have seen vast improvements. The Jenny Craig Pavilion, USD's 5,100-seat multi-purpose facility, opened its doors in 2000 and is now home for USO basketball and volleyball, along with benefiting the entire university commu– nity. Torero Stadium, where football , and men's and women's soccer compete, is also home to the WUSA San Diego Spirit, has also benefited with expanded seating to 6,000, new lighting and sound system, new video scoreboard, additional press box facilities, and a recently widened playing field with new grass turf. Improvements at the Sports Center include com-

plete renovations of both the north and south wings that added offices for administrators and coaches; additional women's locker rooms; an athletic department conference room; and an academic support room. The gymnasium received new lighting and scoreboards, a new dance floor and workout area for rowing machines. Recent improvements at the Sports Center include a new main entrance, a complete renovation of the weight room, and perimeter fencing around the pool along with a scoreboard. This past year both Cunningham Baseball Stadium and the Softball Complex were under demolition and reconstruction, and benefited with new fields. Baseball received new batting cages, while softball benefited with a new scoreboard and expanded seating. Additionally, the Canyon Field received lighting and a complete renovation for intercollegiate practices and intramural use with a new artificical turf surface. On the playing fields, USO has sent thirty-three teams to NCAATournaments since lannacone's arrival in the Fall of 1988. Additionally, the school has

captured fifteen conference championships; thirty-three All-Americans; twenty-nine Academic All-Americans; twenty-nine Conference Coaches of the Year; twenty-three Conference Players of the Year; and four West Coast Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Besides having the 1999 NCAA National Champion in women's tennis (Zuzana Lesenarova), the Torero athletic program came out on top of the WCC schools in terms of overall strength in 1999 (based on an unofficial scoring system produced by USO each season). For the first time, the 1998-99 combined men's and women's athletics programs at USO ranked first in the standings. Since 1988 the university has been the host site for NCAA Tournament events for women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, and women's tennis. This past two years USO has hosted the wee Basketball Championships, and will do so again in 2003. Prior to USO, Iannacone built an impressive list of credentials at St. Francis College as Director of Athletics between 1984-87. His major contributions included the expansion of sports offerings and scholarships for both men and women, improved budgets, renovation of athletic facilities, the hiring of additional staff, and the establish– ment of a master plan for the future and continual development of athletics. He served on several committees, most notably the Eastern CollegiateAthletic Conference (ECAC) Infractions committee and the Northeast Conference committee on conference devel– opment. He served as assistant Director of Athletics at Fordham University be– tween 1977-84. Along with his administrative duties, he was assistant football coach for the Rams. Between 1975-78, he acted as offensive coordinator and backfield coach as Fordham captured 19 victories in their final 24 games during this span. The '77 squad was and remains the highest scoring team in Fordham history, averaging 34 points per game. In 1983 he was presented the prestigious Jack Coffey Award by the Alumni Association for his outstanding contributions to Fordham athletics. He also served on various Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference committees. Prior to Fordham, Iannacone taught physical education and coached track

and field, and football in Connecticut Public School Districts from 1964-76. He made his collegiate football coaching debut as an offensive backfield coach at Western Connecticut State University in 1974. A 1964 graduate of the University of Connecti– cut, Iannacone received his master of science degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut State University in 1973. Tom and his wife, Cynthia, have three children: Tom Jr., Jennifer and Eric. All three are graduates of the University of San Diego.

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