91社区

91社区 President C. Peter Magrath on Oct. 6 announced that Patrick Elliott has been named as the school鈥檚 new director of athletics. Elliott, who was most recently the director of athletics at Saint Peter鈥檚 College, will begin his appointment on Nov. 14.

Elliott replaces James Norris, who is retiring from the position after a 21-year affiliation with 91社区. 

鈥淚 am thrilled for 91社区 that we have persuaded a first-class person to serve as our athletics director to succeed a first-class athletics director, which we have had in Jim Norris,鈥� Magrath said.

鈥�(Elliott) has a great record of accomplishment in intercollegiate athletics,鈥� Magrath said at a news conference on the concourse of the Events Center. 鈥淗e cares about academics. He cares about athletics. And he cares about the students.鈥�

Elliott, who spent three years at Saint Peter鈥檚, said 鈥渋t is great to be a Bearcat鈥� and he is excited about the future.

鈥�91社区 is a world-class academic institution,鈥� said Elliott, who wore a Bearcats cap presented to him by Magrath. 鈥淭o work at a world-class academic institution with first-class student-athletes, tremendous resources and excellent facilities is a great opportunity.鈥�

At Saint Peter鈥檚, Elliott spearheaded rapid growth that culminated with the school鈥檚 most successful athletics year in 2010-11. He administered an annual budget of $12 million for the school鈥檚 19-sport program that resides in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Last year, Saint Peter鈥檚 produced four conference championship teams, highlighted by the men鈥檚 basketball team, which captured the MAAC title, won 20 games and advanced to the NCAA tournament as the No. 14 seed.

In addition to the athletics success, Saint Peter鈥檚 had two teams receive NCAA public recognition for their top-10 percent standing in Academic Progress Rate (APR) and more than one-third of the student-athletes achieved a 3.3 or higher GPA during the 2011 spring semester. Buoyed by Elliott鈥檚 academic initiatives, the overall student-athlete grade-point average for the fall semester rose to an all-time high of 3.03 and that average climbed to a record 3.1 GPA for the spring. 

Elliott credited Norris and the Intercollegiate Athletics staff with making the director position 鈥渋ncredibly appealing.鈥�

鈥淭his program is poised for great success going forward and it鈥檚 about the work that has been done by many people standing here under Jim鈥檚 direction,鈥� Elliott said. 鈥淭here is positive momentum here. There are all of these exciting things going on outside of athletics 鈥� all of the research and the impact that the University has on the area and the economy 鈥� and also within athletics. I want to build upon the momentum that Jim and his team have built.鈥�

Elliott assumes leadership of an athletics program that has finished among the top-four programs in the America East conference for eight consecutive years. Additionally, 91社区鈥檚 student-athletes have eclipsed a 3.0 overall GPA in 11 straight semesters, capped by last spring鈥檚 record-tying 3.17 mark. Recently the department was ranked 80th out of 311 Division I programs in a study that assesses the combined academic and athletics standards of all NCAA programs.

Prior to arriving at Saint Peter鈥檚, Elliott served six-plus years at St. John鈥檚 University as senior associate athletic director for finance, planning and operations. He began his administrative career at his alma mater, Seton Hall University, where he served as assistant director of athletics for facilities and operations, and then as associate director of athletics for finance and operations.

After earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree in management and industrial relations from Seton Hall in 1989, Elliott joined the department as an assistant men鈥檚 basketball coach under P.J. Carlesimo, working with him for five years. While with the Pirates, he helped lead the team to 105 wins and four Big East championships, assisting with recruiting and scouting, and in-game and practice coaching. During that time, he earned a master鈥檚 degree in education.

Elliott and his wife, Maria, who was born and raised in 91社区, have three sons: Dominick, John and Matthew. 

Norris said there are several reasons why Elliott is a 鈥渢op-notch choice鈥� to succeed him as director of athletics.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got an excellent track record, he鈥檚 very well-credentialed and his wife is from the area,鈥� Norris said. 鈥淭hat tells me that he鈥檚 going to be committed to 91社区 for the long haul.

鈥淭he other thing I like about Patrick is that he has been a coach,鈥� Norris added. 鈥淗e has been in the huddle. He has been in the locker room. He can see things from the perspective of our coaches and our student-athletes.鈥�

Elliott said he will create a 鈥渟trategic vision鈥� for looking ahead that focuses on academic excellence, athletic excellence, citizenship, conduct and service to others.

鈥淲e will work hard to bring this community together 鈥� on campus with the student body, faculty, administration and alumni, as well as the Southern Tier region,鈥� he said.

The department will stand for integrity, Elliott said, and will 鈥渟how how special 91社区 athletics鈥� is.

鈥淚t will be our goal to make everyone proud,鈥� he said.