The University of Hartford in West Hartford announced Tuesday that Mary Ellen Gillespie will assume the role of director of Athletics effective July 10, 2017.

Submitted by Matt Brady, University of Hartford Athletics

University of Hartford President-Designate Gregory S. Woodward has named Mary Ellen Gillespie as the University’s new Director of Athletics, it was announced on Tuesday. Gillespie, who currently serves in the same position at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, will begin her duties on July 10, 2017.

“I am honored to be joining the Hawks family,” Gillespie says. “The University of Hartford’s values and tradition of excellence in both academics and athletics make this a tremendous op­portunity.”

Mary Ellen Gillespie. Photo credit: Steve McLaughlin

A native of Sayville, NY, Gillespie has led Green Bay athletics since 2013. Under her guidance, the department has seen strong growth in both leadership and revenue generation. Academic success and student-athlete development have flourished while the department has achieved outstanding accomplishments in the competitive arena. She also has higher education experience in academic fundraising and student life.

“It is a sign of the stature of the University of Hartford and of Hawks Athletics that someone of Mary Ellen Gillespie’s caliber has chosen to become our next Director of Athletics,” says Woodward. “Her background in various areas of higher education leadership, including several years in senior-level Division I athletics administration, brings us a nationally recognized expert to lead Athletics to the next level of success and visibility. Mary Ellen’s insistence on student success and achieving the right balance of academic and athletic life for our student-athletes is a wonderful philosophy for our institution, and perfectly complements my own stance on the value and goals of a university athletics program. I am truly excited to see how high the Hawks will soar under Mary Ellen Gillespie’s leadership!”

Woodward was announced as UHart’s next president in December 2016 and will take office on July 1. He succeeds Walter Harrison, who retires on June 30 after 19 years as University president.

“This is a distinctive time in the University’s history,” Gillespie adds, “and I am committed to building on its excellence by leading Hartford Athletics with integrity and passion. I am excited to return to my northeast roots and look forward to working with student-athletes, coaches, and the campus and Hartford communities. I am thankful for the Hartford administration, especially incoming President Greg Woodward, current President Walter Harrison, and the coaches and staff, who have created a strong foundation. I also want to thank Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement Kate Pendergast and the members of the search committee for their confidence in my ability to lead this great team.”

Pendergast chaired a 10-person search committee composed of University regents, faculty, athletic coaches and staff, and student-athletes. The committee was aided by College Sports Associates, under the direction of Todd Turner, former director of athletics at the University of Connecticut, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Washington.

“Mary Ellen possesses all of the experience and qualifications that we are looking for in our next Director of Athletics,” Pendergast says. “She is a well-respected leader who has served as a Division I AD; has a deep understanding of, and passion for, student life and student-athlete welfare; and demonstrates success as a fundraiser. She has it all. I am thrilled for the coaches, staff, and student-athletes who will surely benefit from her leadership. The entire search committee looks forward to welcoming Mary Ellen to the University community and supporting her efforts as our next AD.”

At Green Bay, Gillespie is credited with improving the culture of Green Bay Athletics, bringing in eight new head coaches and six new senior staff members, including Linc Darner to lead the Phoenix men’s basketball program.

Additionally, Green Bay athletics has seen increases in revenue. Gillespie led a campaign to raise $4 million for upgrades to the outdoor soccer facility and there has been a 40 percent increase in annual giving during her tenure. A restructure of Green Bay’s Student-Athlete Academic Services area led to an improved and record-high student-athlete GPA of 3.30 and a graduation success rate of 96 percent.

Green Bay has earned 11 conference championships since Gillespie’s arrival. Most notably, the Phoenix earned its first NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament appearance since 1996 with a Horizon League Championship in 2016. Women’s basketball earned three NCAA Tournament appearances and one WNIT bid in her four years.

As a member of the NCAA’s Division I women’s basketball committee and the Division I-AAA Board of Directors, Gillespie is a widely recognized leader throughout the NCAA and Horizon League communities.

Gillespie came to Green Bay after seven years at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, where she ascended to the title of Associate Athletics Director for External Relations.

With the Falcons, she oversaw an external relations staff of 30 and a budget of $7 million with primary responsibility for image and revenue including fundraising, marketing, promotions, game-day atmosphere, corporate sponsorships, ticket operations, rights fees, licensing, concessions, merchandising, and athletics communications. She managed the fundraising campaign to build the $36 million Stroh Center on campus and helped achieve a 300 percent increase in annual giving to Falcon Athletics.

She was previously director of development for Purdue University’s Schools of Nursing and Health Sciences. She was vice president of advancement for the North American Interfraternity Conference, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. This followed experience as an assistant director of student life at the University of Iowa and as a coordinator of Greek affairs in the office of the dean of students at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

Gillespie holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and a master’s in counseling-student affairs practice from SUNY-Plattsburgh. She also has a certificate in fundraising management from the Indiana University Fund Raising School.

Gillespie will be the seventh director of athletics in the 60-year history of the University of Hartford. She will take the reins from Interim Director of Athletics John Carson, who has led the department since December 2016.