USD Football 2001

Director ofAthletics

40 TOM IANNACONE Director Of Athletics

Tom Iannacone begins his fourteenth year as Director of Athletics at the University of San Diego. He was named Director of Ath letics on September I, 1988 after holding the same position the previous four years at St. Francis Co ll ege of Pennsylvania. At USO, Iannacone directs an Athletic Department that inc ludes sixteen NCAA Division I intercollegiate varsity teams, eight men ' s and eight women's, plus intramurals and recreation. In the last thirteen years behind his direction and leadersh ip, Torero Ath letics has enjoyed successes both on and off the playing field. His accomp li shments at USO include improvements in the major areas of personnel, scholarship assistance, faci liti es, 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 ofthe West Coast Conference Athletics Directors Committee.

During Iannacone' s tenure, all athletic facilities have seen vast improvements, with numerous projects currently underway. The Jenny Craig Pavilion, a new 5, I00-seat multi-purpose facility, opened its doors last season and is now home for USO basketball and volleyball, along with benefiting the entire university community. Torero Stadium, where football , and men ' s and women 's soccer compete, is also home to the WUSA San Diego Spirit, has also benefited recently with expanded seating to 6,000, new lighting and sound system, additional press box facilities , and a new grass turf. Improvements at the Sports Center include complete renovations of both the north and south wings that added offices for administrators and coaches; additional locker rooms for women's basketball, vo lleyba ll and women's soccer; an ath letic department conference room; and an academ ic support room. Cunningham Baseball Stadium is currently under demolition and reconstruction, and the Softball Comp lex has already benefited with new dugouts, scoreboard, batting cages and add itiona l seating, and wi ll also be demolished and reconstructed, also gai ning a new scoreboard. Add itionally, the Canyon Field received lighting and a comp lete renovation for intercollegiate practices and intramural use. The Sports Center is a lso being renovated with new lighting and scoreboards, a new dance floor and new main entrance. The weight trai ning room will undergo a complete renovation this coming year. On the playing fields, USO has sent thirty teams to NCAA Tournaments since lan nacone's arri val in the Fall of 1988. Additionally, the school has captured twelve conference champi onships; twenty-nine NCAA All-Ameri cans; eighteen CoS IDA/GTE Academic All– Americans; twenty-seven conference Coaches of the Year; twenty conference Players of the Year; and four West Coast Conference Scholar–

Athletes of the Year. Besides havi ng the 1999 CAA National Champi on in women's tennis (Zuzana Lesenarova), the Torero athletic program came out on top of the WCC sc hoo ls 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 athl etics programs at USO ranked first in the standings. Since 1988 the university has been the host site for NCAA Tournament events for women's volleyba ll, men's and women's soccer, and women's tennis. This past year USO hosted the WCC Basketball Champ ionships, and will do so aga in in 2002. Prior to USO, Iannacone built an impressive li st of credentials at St. Franc is Co ll ege as Director of Athletics between 1984-87. His major contributions inc luded 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 estab li shment of a master plan for the future and continual development of athletics. He served on several committees, most notably the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Infractions committee and the ortheast Conference committee on conference development. He served as assistant Director of Athletics at Fordham University between 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 Con– necticut State University in 1974. A 1964 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Iannacone received his master of science degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut State University in 1973. Tom and his wife, Cynth ia, have three children: Tom Jr. , Jennifer and Eric. All three are graduates of the Un iversity of San Diego.