Salisbury University makes pioneering choice for next director of athletics
Salisbury University officially has a new Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation, the school announced Wednesday afternoon.
Monica Gordy Polizzi will take over the post at SU, with her tenure beginning July 26. Polizzi will follow in the footsteps of outgoing Director Gerry Dibartolo, who announced his retirement in March.
Polizzi will also become the first woman in the school's history to hold the position of athletic director at Salisbury University.
"Salisbury University is an athletics powerhouse, and it will take a strong leader to continue to guide our teams and students to success," Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre said in a statement. "With more than two decades as a coach, administrator and student-athlete at the collegiate level, we are excited that Monica fits that description and then some."
A Salisbury native and Parkside High School graduate, Polizzi comes to SU from Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina, where she had served as Senior Associate Athletic Director of Internal Operations since 2022. Prior to that, Polizzi was the head softball coach and Assistant Director of Athletics over the course of her 11 years at Mars Hill University in North Carolina.
"I am excited for the chance to lead the Sea Gulls, and I'm eager to work with so many talented and successful coaches and staff," Polizzi said. "Growing up near the university, I had the opportunity to experience the enthusiasm around some of the program's earliest team championships in the 1990s. I can't wait to play a part in that legacy, and to partner with the campus in support of SU's pursuit of excellence."
More: 'I like my job': Salisbury University's Dibartolo to retire, looks back on 44-year career
More: White Marlin Open founder talks past, future as Ocean City's big tourney at 50th year
Polizzi also held stints as a softball coach at Louisburg College, Upper Iowa University and Wayne State College prior to her stint at Lenoir Rhyne. She currently chairs the NCAA National Committee for Division II football, becoming the first woman to hold that position, and has served on multiple NCAA Regional Advisory committees for football and softball.
Polizzi will oversee an athletic department that is home to 23 varsity athletic sports, including men's and women's golf, which are set to debut as new sports at SU during the 2024-25 season. SU is also home to 23 national championships, with this past season's Men's Lacrosse team being the most recent squad to be crowned the best in Division III. She will also oversee the university's athletic and recreational facilities, and the student recreation program that includes intramural and club sports.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: New director of athletics at Salisbury University a pioneering choice
