Athletic Director Dan Coonan is Leaving Santa Clara University
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Apr. 17, 2015 -- After 11 years serving as Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation, Dan Coonan has announced that he is leaving Santa Clara University to return to his hometown of Los Angeles and become the Executive Director of Development for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
"It has been a tremendous honor to be associated with this great University for the past 11 years,” said Dan Coonan. “My family will cherish the friendships we have established with the extended Santa Clara family."
Coonan has responsibility for 350 student-athletes competing across 19 NCAA sports. Additionally, he oversees club and recreational sports at the University. During Coonan’s tenure, five different Bronco Division-I programs finished at least one season ranked in the nation's top-15. Competing within the West Coast Conference (WCC), the Broncos won the Commissioner's Cup in 2004-05 and 2006-07, based on their athletics success across all sports. With Santa Clara University’s parallel emphasis on academic achievement, student-athletes, as a group, have consistently posted mean GPAs in excess of 3.0 and graduation rates among the highest on the West Coast.
“Dan Coonan’s extraordinary dedication to Santa Clara Athletics and the values of Jesuit education has inspired coaches, student-athletes, and fans,” said Dennis Jacobs, University Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Dan has played an integral role in our University community and will be missed. We wish him the very best in his new role.”
Jacobs announced that Jeff Mitchell, Senior Associate Athletic Director, will serve as Interim Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation. Mitchell has been with the Santa Clara University's Athletics for the past nine years.
Santa Clara University will immediately conduct a national search to recruit the next Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation.
About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 9,000 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering; master’s degrees in business, education, counseling psychology, pastoral ministry, and theology; and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 9,000 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering; master’s degrees in business, education, counseling psychology, pastoral ministry, and theology; and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.
Media Contact
Michelle Young | Assistant Athletic Director, Public Relations | myoung@scu.edu | 408-554-2114
Michelle Young | Assistant Athletic Director, Public Relations | myoung@scu.edu | 408-554-2114
Apr 17, 2015