Former Director of Athletics (2004-15)
Dr. Tom Gioglio arrived as Director of Athletics at East Stroudsburg University in the summer of 2004 with a vision to improve the overall student-athlete experience, while positioning the athletic department which sponsors 20 NCAA Division II sports on an ambitious path toward conference and national recognition. His previous experiences as a teacher, coach and as an athletic administrator at all levels of college athletics taught him that by providing a safe, inclusive, positive learning environment, the student athletes will excel in competition, the classroom and as productive members of society. During Gioglio’s 11 years leading the Warriors Athletic Department he has made great strides in making his vision a reality while the program has enjoyed some of its most memorable moments in school history. The following are selected historic team and individual athletic and academic accomplishments as well as new state-of-the-art fields and facilities built, record-breaking revenue generation and community engagement activities that have occurred during Gioglio’s tenure.
Athletic Accomplishments
*NCAA Playoff appearances were made by the men's basketball team in 2013-14 (Sweet 16), 2012-13, 2011-12 and in 2009-10. The football team was crowned Northeast Regional Champions first time in ESU history in 2005 and also appeared in the NCAA’s in 2009 and 2004. The women’s soccer team appeared in 2014 and 2008 (which produced their first NCAA postseason win). The softball team appeared in 2007 and 2006 and the baseball team appeared in 2013 and in 2011 (which produced their first ever NCAA postseason wins). The men’s cross country team appeared in 2012, the women’s tennis team appeared in 2010 and the field hockey team appeared in 2010 and 2009, while the men’s soccer team appeared from 2008, 2007 and 2006.
*PSAC Championships were won by the women’s soccer team in 2014 and the men's basketball team in 2013-14 and 2011-12. The men’s basketball team also won the PSAC East regular season championship in 2014-15, 2012-13 and 2009-10. The baseball team won the PSAC Championship in 2013 (its first since 1971). The men’s soccer team was crowned PSAC champions in 2007 and 2006 and the women’s basketball team won the PSAC East regular season championship in 2006-07 and 2005-06.
*In 2014-15 ESU finished in 7th place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Dixon Trophy standings, which was one of the highest finishes since the PSAC expanded to18 member institutions.
*In 2010-11 the athletic department made history finishing 52nd in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Learfield Cup standings. The Learfield Cup is awarded annually to the most successful NCAA DII institution. Currently, NCAA Division II has over 300 members.
*13 ESU coaches received PSAC Coach of the Year accolades from Fall 2004 - Spring 2015.
*Other historical moments for the athletic department came when two student athletes were named the most outstanding player in their respective sports nationally for the first time in ESU history. Field hockey standout Ashley Kocis received the Honda Broderick Award in 2006 as the most outstanding player in Division II and was named ESU's first PSAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Year. On the football field, All-American quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger won the Harlon Hill Award in 2005 and set or tied 14 NCAA Division II records, including the all-division record for career touchdown passes.
Academic Accomplishments
The student-athletes continue their tradition of academic excellence with an 82% Academic Success Rating (ASR). The grade point averages (3.049) and graduation rates (65%) of all student-athletes continue to be higher than the general student body. During Gioglio’s tenure, ESU has had 92 student-athletes selected to the Academic All-District team. There has also been 37 Academic All-Americans, 5 PSAC Champion Scholars and 26 PSAC Top 10 recipients. In 2014-15 ESU had 65 student athletes received the Academic Achievement Award from the Division II Athletic Directors Association. Student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 through at least four semesters of college work while competing in an intercollegiate sport to be eligible for this recognition. Lastly, in 2014-15, 180 of its student-athletes were named PSAC scholar-athletes by achieving a GPA of 3.25 or higher for the year.
Revenue Generation
At Gioglio’s urging, ESU athletics placed a new emphasis on raising revenue to support athletic scholarships. Since Gioglio’s arrival there has been an annual increase of 39% in the total fundraised revenue generated to support athletic scholarships. Furthermore, during Gioglio’s last 11 years, 100 Foundation Scholarships, including a scholarship that Gioglio established in memory of his son Titan John have been created. Since Gioglio’s arrival there has also been a 145% increase in athletic scholarships awarded to student athletes.
Since Gioglio’s arrival the turnstiles have become very busy. East Stroudsburg University has seen an annual increase of over 40% in gate revenue, and an over 150% increase in overall fan attendance and has established single season paid attendance records in men’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer and field hockey.
Fields and Facilities
Another primary responsibility Gioglio has is the oversight of all athletic fields (10) and facilities including a 708,000 square foot multi-purpose field house. One of the most visible improvements came after Gioglio encouraged the expenditure of millions of dollars into the athletic fields and facilities to make them some of the finest in the nation. Renovations that have been completed include: scoreboard replacement at all outdoor facilities including an LED Video Board at Eiler Martin Stadium, the installation of FieldTurf at Gregory – Douds Field and Whitenight Field, lighting at Elier Martin Stadium, all weather olympic track at Eiler-Martin Stadium, softball shelters at Zimbar Field, baseball dugouts at Mitterling Field and the renovation of the Koehler Arena main court, athletic training and strength and conditioning centers.
Community Engagement
With Gioglio’s arrival came a new standard for student athlete community outreach. In 2014-15 the Warriors student-athletes and staff participated in over 4,000 community engagement service hours continuing the athletic department’s philosophy to give back.
National and Conference Leadership
In addition to ensuring the efficient operation of the Warriors athletic department, Gioglio has had impact nationally in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), regionally in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), on campus and in the community.
Nationally, Gioglio was selected to serve as one of only 10 Athletic Directors in the nation to be a Mentor for the 2012-13 NCAA Division II and Athletic Directors Association Women and Minorities Mentoring Program. In 2012, Gioglio was appointed to serve on the NCAA’s first “All Division” Wrestling Rules Committee. This appointment came after Gioglio served as Chair of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships Committee from 2011-12 and committee member since 2010. In the 2008-09 academic year Gioglio was the only Director of Athletics in the nation selected to serve as a facilitator for the NCAA Division II Leadership Academy. In 2008, Gioglio also served as the NCAA Site representative for the Women’s Soccer Regional Championships. In 2005-06 Gioglio was named Tournament Director of the NCAA Division I Regional Qualifier-Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships after securing the rights to host the first and only time in ESU history. Gioglio is currently a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the National Association of Division II Athletic Administrators.
In the conference, Gioglio was elected in the Spring of 2010 by the 36 member PSAC Athletic Administrators to Chair the PSAC Athletics Administrators Executive Committee. He served in this capacity through July of 2014. Over the last 11 years Gioglio has also served the PSAC as an Advisory Council member, the PSAC Athletic Trainers Liaison and has served on the following sub committees: Diversity and Inclusion, Strategic Planning, Coaching Realignment and Scheduling, Championship Review and Staff Limitations.
While Gioglio’s regional and national accomplishments are impressive, his best work is done locally.
In the community, Gioglio currently serves on the East Stroudsburg YMCA board and is a member of the Stroudsburg Kiwanis Club. Gioglio has previously served as the Chair of the Monroe County United Way Day of Caring, has been on the Board of Directors for the Burnley Employment and Rehabilitation Services Foundation and has also been the Co-Vice President of Softball Operations for Stroudsburg Little League. In the summer of 2013, Gioglio was named Tournament Director for the Pennsylvania State Little League Majors Softball Championship which was held for the first time in Monroe County.
On campus, Gioglio’s current involvement includes membership on the Student Affairs Leadership Team, ESU’s Campus and Community Coalition, University Senate, University Wide Faculty Promotions Committee, Intercollegiate Athletic Committee, Trademark and Licensing Committee and Middle States Accreditation Sub Committee.
Academician
As an Associate Professor, Gioglio has over twenty years of teaching experience. Most recently he has served as an Adjunct on the faculty at Northampton Community College in the Division of Business and Technology, teaching Facility Planning and Event Management, Sports in Society and Introduction to Sport Management.
Gioglio has published several articles on intercollegiate athletics as well as a nationwide study on NCAA Division I Athletic Directors and Presidents Perceptions of the Future of Collegiate Athletics. In 2009, Gioglio co-authored a book chapter (Accountability to Athletics Stakeholders) in Kissinger’s and Miller’s, book - College Student Athletes: Challenges, Opportunities and Policy Implications. Gioglio has also served on the editorial board of Athletic Management Magazine since 2012.
Prior to ESU
Previous to Gioglio’s arrival to East Stroudsburg, Gioglio served as Director of Athletics at Dakota State University (Madison, S.D.) and the University of Saint Mary, (Leavenworth, KS).
While at Dakota State, Gioglio served on the President’s Senior Management Council. Throughout Gioglio’s four year tenure at DSU the athletic program reached unprecedented levels of success and growth. The softball and baseball teams all set the school single-season win records, while the women's basketball team won the schools' first DAC-10 Championship and also advanced to the Sweet 16 of the National Tournament. The baseball team won the schools' first regional tournament championship advancing to the Super Regional. Gioglio also supervised the renovation of the men's and women's locker rooms and selected office space.
During Gioglio’s two year stint at Saint Mary, the intercollegiate program underwent significant change. Gioglio first expanded USM’s sports offerings to include football, baseball and men's and women's golf. Gioglio's then added 10 full time athletic department coaching positions. Gioglio then directed the construction of three new fields to support baseball, football and soccer. With the addition of football and baseball Gioglio led the Spires from the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) to Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) which was a perfect fit with its student athletes, alumni and fans. The teams also saw historic success during this transition. The women's volleyball, men's soccer, softball and men's basketball teams all set school single-season win records, while the men's basketball team became the schools' first team to qualify for post season play.
Coach Gioglio
Prior to Gioglio’s administrative endeavors, he accumulated 20 years of coaching experience from high school to NCAA Division I-A. He coached football, wrestling, baseball, and men's and women's tennis. Gioglio began his coaching career at his high school alma mater as a Head Wrestling Coach at the age of 19 and just two years after graduating from high school. His first head coaching position on the college level came just 5 years later in 1984 when he was named the head coach at Upsala College. Gioglio’s most notable head coaching accomplishments include coaching three top 20 wrestling teams from 1993 – 1995 and coaching seven All-Americans including one Academic All-American, six Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestling Champions while at Northern State University. As a Teaching Fellow and a full-time volunteer assistant coach, Gioglio contributed to the West Virginia University coaching staff in 1989 and 1990 when WVU won the Eastern Wrestling League and finished sixth in NCAA Division I. Gioglio also had impact on the coaching staff of Bishop Ryan High School when BRHS was crowned 1997 North Dakota State Football Champions.
As a student-athlete, Gioglio lettered two years (1978 and 1979) as defensive lineman at Montclair State College.
Born and raised in Morristown, NJ, Gioglio is a graduate of Bayley-Ellard High School (Madison, NJ) earned his bachelor's degree in physical education at Montclair State University (Montclair, NJ) in 1986 and his master's in education at Mansfield University (Mansfield, PA) in 1988. He earned his doctorate in higher education administration at West Virginia University in 1993. He completed a second master's degree from Northern State University (Aberdeen, S.D) in 1996.
Gioglio and his wife Melissa are the proud parents of two daughters, Kalista and Kinley.
East Stroudsburg University Athletic Directors
2004-2015 - Dr. Tom Gioglio
2003-2004 - Dr. Carey Snyder (Interim)
2000-2003 - Dr. Joy Richman
1999-2000 - Dr. Carey Snyder (Interim)
1993-1999 - Earl Edwards
1991-1993 - Dr. Dick DeSchriver (Interim)
1990-1991 - Dr. Carey Snyder (Interim)
1986-1990 - Dr. Louis Marciani
1977-1986 - Clyde Witman
1959-1977 - John Eiler
1939-1959 - Oscar Liljenstein
1925-1939 - Lester Crasper
