DeFilippo Honored By Youngstown State
December 16, 2002 | Boston College Athletics
Dec. 16, 2002
Boston College Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo, a former Youngstown State University assistant football coach, and Bill Knecht, Chairman and CEO of Wendell August Forge and a current Youngstown State University Board of Trustee member, will be honored as the 2003 Penguins of the Year by the Youngstown State Penguin Club at their annual banquet on Feb. 4.
Also being honored at the 13th Annual Scholarship/Ring Dinner are members of the 1979 football team, which advanced to the Division II National Championship Game before losing to Delaware.
DeFilippo has been the Athletic Director at Boston College since 1997 and has been involved in Athletics Administration since 1983. Prior to taking over at BC, he was the Athletic Director at Villanova from 1993 through 1997. He has also served as an Assistant and Associate Director of Athletics at Kentucky, a Director of Athletics at South Carolina-Spartanburg and was Director of Administrative Services at Vanderbilt. He was an assistant football coach for nine seasons with stints at Tennessee, YSU and Vanderbilt.
As the head of the Eagles' Athletic Department, he has restructured the athletics program and hired top-notch administrators and coaches. He initiated an impressive overhaul of BC's athletics facilities, has been an impressive fund raiser, been a tireless worker in the community, has made contributions on a national level and watched as Eagles athletics teams have had success on the playing fields.
The Boston College football team, who plays in the Motor City Bowl against Toledo on Dec. 26, has appeared in four consecutive bowl games. During his tenure at BC, the women's basketball team has played in the NCAA Tournament three times, the men's soccer program has participated in three NCAA Tournaments, the men's basketball team has played in the NCAA Tournament the past two years, the women's soccer program has been in the NCAA Tournament twice and the softball program appeared in the tournament once. Also, the men's and women's cross country teams have competed at nationals while individuals from men's and women's fencing and wrestling also took part in NCAA play.
In 2000-01, Boston College captured the NCAA Championship in men's ice hockey.
He joined the Youngstown State coaching staff in 1975. While with the Penguins, he was the offensive coordinator for five seasons in helping the squad win Mid-Continent Conference titles in 1978 and 1979 advancing to the playoffs both seasons under Coach Bill Narduzzi.
Knecht has served on the YSU Board of Trustees since 1999. He has been a key figure on campus and within the Athletics Department since he attended the University.
