Judy Ann Riccio has been named Sacred Heart University”™s new director of athletics, making her the first female athletic director to lead the school”™s D-I sports program.
Riccio had been serving as interim director at the Fairfield-based university since June 8, when then-athletic director Bobby Valentine took a leave of absence to launch his run for Stamford mayor.
With the appointment, Riccio becomes the 57th woman to lead a Division I athletic program currently out of 357 D-I schools; only 36 of those schools have football programs.
“Today is a historic day for SHU athletics, and I am incredibly honored to have the privilege of becoming the first female athletic director to lead the Pioneers,” Riccio said. “I am looking forward to building upon our legacy of success both on the fields of competition and in the classroom.”
“This is a transformational day for SHU athletics,” Jim Barquinero, senior vice president of enrollment, student affairs & athletics, said. “Judy Ann”™s leadership skills, combined with her passion for the student-athlete experience, will allow her to build on the success of our 33 D-I programs.”
“Judy Ann brings a wealth of institutional and industry experience as well as a commitment to the university”™s mission,” remarked SHU President John J. Petillo said. “She has demonstrated excellence in every facet of the program from policies and procedures to the fan experience, and I look forward to seeing our program continue to flourish under her leadership.”
As executive director of the divisional budget and chief financial officer of intercollegiate athletic budgets for the last 17 years, Riccio has overseen the department”™s growing budget and contributed to the strategic distribution of institutional funds. In July 2020, she added senior woman administrator duties to her resume.
Riccio has served on the University”™s Title IX Committee, the Pioneer Journey of Transformational Education Committee, as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group. She has been involved in all aspects of the administration of SHU athletics, including implementation of the Outpost hospitality area, and helped lead the SHU cheerleading squad to back-to-back national championships.
