By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
St. Bonaventure officially has a new athletic director on the day its fall sports season begins. Bona announced in a press release Thursday that Joe Manhertz, a Rochester native who returns to Western New York after a decade as an associate AD at Duke University, is the school’s choice to lead its athletic department.
“We are all very excited to have Joe Manhertz join our leadership team as director of athletics,” acting president Joseph Zimmer said in the release. “His extensive experience in some of the premier programs in the country positions him well to lead St. Bonaventure’s Department of Athletics to even greater glory in the years to come.”
Manhertz led Duke’s major fundraising efforts, planning and directing the campaign to secure upgrades to Cameron Indoor Stadium and Wallace Wade Stadium, among other projects. Prior to Duke, he oversaw major gift activities for Ohio State’s Buckeyes Athletics program for three years; held a development role at Syracuse University that included pitching Carmelo Anthony on funding the practice facility that bears his name; and was Hamilton College’s associate director of leadership gifts.
The 1996 Colgate University graduate, who played basketball and football for the Raiders, is a Fairport High School alumnus.
“Being on campus at St. Bonaventure sealed the deal,” Manhertz said in the release. “The people at Bonaventure are hungry to take the next step. Hearing the passion of the students, coaches and staff, what Bona’s means to them and what they think it can be perfectly aligns with where I think it can be. I look forward to getting to work taking Bonaventure Athletics to the next level.”
“Joe Manhertz is just a brilliant hire,” retired Duke University athletic director Kevin White said. “He represents the cutting edge and best of collegiate athletics. He has earnestly prepared himself for this tremendous opportunity to lead the highly coveted Bonnies. He will bring his supreme relationship-building skills along with his non-negotiable student-athlete-centric and championship mentality. He will be outstanding as the director of athletics at St. Bonaventure!”
SBU said an introductory press conference will be held next week.
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