Boston College Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo Leaving Program

After 15 years being the Athletic Director of Boston College, Gene DeFilippo is stepping down from the position. DeFilippo took over a sports program that was in turmoil and helped stabilize all things Boston College. In 1997, when he took over, the university was coming off of 13 football players being suspended for betting on games.

DeFilippo also oversaw the transition from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference, capturing four hockey titles, 11 national team and individual sailing championships and had 12 consecutive winning seasons in football. To top it off, DeFilppo seemed to do it the right way, annually ranking Boston College among the highest in athlete graduation rates.

He has dumped money back into the program, helping it stay relevant in the recruiting battles. Defilippo also helped get the average donations a year from $5 million to just around $20 million.

Boston College head basketball coach Steve Donahue said, “He reinvented the athletics department in his 15 years as AD; everything we have is based on Gene’s vision. It’s very rare that you find someone who has the vision and the guts to follow it. He is going to be missed.”

DeFilippo will be replaced by John Kane on an interim contract until a permanent AD is hired. DeFilippo will step down September 30 and take a short leave of absence from the school. But there is no rest for the wicked. After his time off, DeFilippo plans on teaching courses in sports management while working as a consultant.

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