Boston College Athletics
BC Extends DeFilippo's Contract
April 01, 2003 | Boston College Athletics
April 1, 2003
Boston College announced that it has extended the contract of Director of Athletics Gene DeFilippo through 2008. In making the announcement, BC President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J. said "Gene DeFilippo has had a tremendous impact at Boston College, not only on our athletics program, but also among our alumni and friends. He is committed to excellence in both athletics and academics, and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead."
DeFilippo expressed gratitude to Fr. Leahy for the extension.
"My heart is at Boston College," said DeFilippo. "The only job I want is the one I already have, and I am thrilled that Fr. Leahy has shown his confidence in me by extending my contract. After several moves during my career as a football coach and athletics administrator, my family and I have made Boston our home. Anne and I love it here, as do our children. From day one, we have been received with open arms by everyone in the Boston College community, and we are now Eagles. Our youngest daughter Mary, in fact, will become an Eagle student-athlete in the fall."
DeFilippo is credited with spearheading efforts to strengthen BC's athletics programs in a number of areas. Under his leadership, 371 student-athletes at Boston College maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or better during the 2001-02 academic year, earning the Athletic Director's Award for Academic Excellence. In its March 18, 2002 issue, U.S. News and World Report recognized Boston College as one of the top 20 athletics departments in the country.
In addition, DeFilippo has overseen major enhancements of BC's athletics facilities including new football practice facilities, lighting, scoreboards and other improvements at Shea Field, and renovations to Conte Forum, including a new sound system, floor and video boards. He is also credited with adding two new soccer fields to the Newton Campus, new Astroturf on Alumni Stadium, and an air-inflated bubble to cover the stadium turf to provide an indoor practice facility for all sports during the winter months.
Gifts to the Athletics Association's fundraising arm, the William Flynn Fund, (formerly Blue Chips), also rose to a record-setting $6.9 million in 2001-2002, a 120% increase from cash received in 1998.
"I cherish the fact that I am able to lead a nationally competitive athletics program at an institution that holds fast to the ideals of faith that I share," said DeFilippo. "When I came here in 1997, I made a commitment to Fr. Leahy, our student-athletes, coaches and staff that we would strive to accomplish four goals: to operate a program in total compliance with all conference and NCAA rules and regulations; to field competitive teams; to keep our student-athletes at the heart of our program, and to exhibit recognizable class in all that we do.
"Fr. Leahy, in turn, made a commitment to my family and me, and we are extremely grateful for his guidance and support. Fr. Leahy and the entire Boston College community are committed to having an Athletics program that will continue to be a source of immense pride for Boston College alumni and fans nationwide.
"We have made some tremendous strides toward accomplishing our goals," he continued. "We have worked hard to improve our facilities, enhance alumni relations and increase our fundraising efforts, to recruit outstanding coaches and support staff, and to maintain the outstanding academic and social standards for which Boston College long has been known. We have many more goals to accomplish, and I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to lead a terrific staff in the pursuit of those goals in the years to come."
From 1983-1997, DeFilippo worked in athletics administration at Villanova, University of Kentucky, University of South Carolina at Spartanburg and Vanderbilt University.
He also coached football at Vanderbilt, Youngstown State University and the University of Tennessee.
A 1973 graduate of Springfield College with a Bachelor of Science degree, DeFilippo earned a master's degree in Educational Administration from the University of Tennessee in 1974.
DeFilippo and his wife, Anne, are the parents of three children - Christine, 26, a guidance counselor and women's basketball coach at Beaver Country Day School; John, 24, an assistant football coach at Columbia University, and Mary, 18, a senior at Newton Country Day of the Sacred Heart.
