July 14, 2003

Iannacone, who came to USD in September of 1988, directed an athletics department that includes sixteen NCAA Division I intercollegiate varsity teams, in addition to overseeing recreation and intramurals, and summer camps. USD Vice President for Student Affairs, Robert Pastoor, had this to say about the announcement, "The University of San Diego has been served extremely well by Tom's leadership in athletics. He has been a leader of high integrity and has always carried out his responsibilities with a strong commitment to the Catholic mission of the institution. We are very proud of all that he has accomplished during his time and are very thankful for his tireless efforts in building an outstanding athletic program. Tom's leadership will have a lasting impact on the department and University and we wish him the very best in his retirement. The process of hiring a replacement will start immediately. Members of the athletics department, friends of USD, and other members of the University community will be actively involved in the search process. Our hope is to have the position filled no later than the end of December. The excellent reputation of our programs is due to the wonderful coaches and players we have and Tom's outstanding work for the past 15 years. There is no doubt that we will have many qualified candidates for this position."

During the last fifteen years under Iannacone's direction and leadership, the USD athletic department developed into an outstanding Division I program with a list of accomplishments that would be the envy of any program in the nation. On the playing fields since his arrival in 1988, USD sent forty teams to the NCAA Tournament, including a program-best six teams this past year. Additionally, the school has garnered thirty-nine Academic All-Americans, thirty-four NCAA All-Americans, thirty-two Coaches of the Year, twenty-six Conference Players of the Year, seventeen Conference Championships, and four West Coast Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year. In 1992 the men's soccer program was national runner-up to Virginia, and in 1999 the program secured its first NCAA National Championship with Zuzana Lesenarova winning the singles title at the women's tennis championships. Additionally, USD served as the host site for NCAA Tournament Championships in men's & women's soccer, women's tennis and women's volleyball. The past three years USD successfully hosted the West Coast Conference Basketball Championships for the women's and men's basketball teams, a five-day, fourteen game event that saw the Torero men win their first WCC Basketball Championship this past season.

"It has been an honor to serve the University of San Diego as Director of Athletics the past fifteen years," said Iannacone. "We have always conducted the program within the mission of the University and our philosophy of athletics. In that regard we have upheld the academic integrity of the University. The program has been fiscally responsible and beyond reproach in every aspect. The record of outstanding achievements of our students, teams and coaches is well documented. I believe the program is a model for any private institution in the country."

Added Iannacone, who will turn 62 next month, "I thank everyone within the University and our many friends and donors who supported the program over the years. I especially thank an excellent group of athletics administrators, assistants and support staff , an outstanding group of coaches and a wonderful group of student-athletes who kept me young. I wish them success in the future. The best years for USD athletics are yet to come."

On top of all the success by the Torero teams and student-athletes, USD saw tremendous growth in the area of athletic facility improvements, most notably with the opening of the 5,100-seat Jenny Craig Pavilion in 2000, and the expansion of Torero Stadium to 7,000 seats with numerous upgrades, which is home to USD football, men's & women's soccer and the WUSA San Diego Spirit. With major renovations to Cunningham Baseball Stadium, the USD West Tennis Courts, the Manchester Canyon Field and USD Softball Complex, USD now has some of the best facilities in the nation for a school of its size. The USD Sports Center, which currently houses all of the athletic administration and majority of coaches, was completely renovated under his watch, including the addition of a conference room, academic support unit, weight room, women's locker rooms and several offices.

His accomplishments also include improvements in the major areas of personnel, scholarship assistance, promotions and marketing, development and fund-raising, drug education, academic support, compliance, and a University approved plan for scholarship support and sports sponsorship. He was instrumental in USD gaining membership to the Pioneer Football League, with the Torero football program moving from the NCAA Division III ranks to the NCAA I-AA level in 1993. He also developed the first television programming for men's and women's basketball, the first radio programming for men's basketball, and the first internet webcasts for football, women's and men's basketball, and baseball.

He served on several committees for the University of San Diego, the West Coast Conference, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Association of Collegiate Director's of Athletics, and the I-AA Athletic Directors Association. Additionally, he is past Chairman of the West Coast Conference Athletics Directors Committee.

Prior to USD Iannacone was Athletics Director for four years at St. Francis College of Pennsylvania between 1984-88. He served as an Assistant AD at Fordham University between 1977-84, and was also assistant football coach for the Rams between 1975-78. Before Fordham he taught physical education and coached track and field, and football in the Connecticut Public School Districts from 1964-76. A 1964 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Iannacone received his M.S. degree in Physical Education from Southern Connecticut State University in 1973.

Tom and his wife, Cynthia, have three grown children: Tom Jr., Jennifer and Eric. All three are graduates of the University of San Diego.