IUP names Todd Gazarelli athletic director

A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater administrator Wednesday was named athletic director at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

IUP officials said Todd Garzarelli, a Cresson native who earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management at Slippery Rock University, has more than 20 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics and higher education.

Gazarelli will take over leadership of IUP’s NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics program on May 13.

IUP officials did not disclose Gazarelli’s salary.

His appointment follows a national search that began after former athletic director Steve Roach left IUP to become executive director of athletics at Texas A&M-Kingville.

Under Gazarelli’s leadership at Wisconsin-Whitewater, the athletic department won a team national championship, and several student-athletes were named NCAA National Athletes of the Year. More than 40 percent of the student-athletes were on the conference Academic Honor Roll, and many were recognized as Academic All-Americans in numerous sports.

“Todd brings an incredible depth and breadth of experience to the athletic director position at IUP. His record of success at so many diverse universities made him the favored candidate in a very strong pool and positions him well to continue the forward momentum of an already strong program,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said.

Gazarelli, who began his career as assistant to the director of external affairs at Saint Francis University, earned a master’s degree in sports management at Northern Illinois University.

He previously was the senior associate athletic director for external affairs at State University of New York at Buffalo; associate athletic director for external affairs and executive director of the NSU Athletic Association at Northwestern State University; associate athletic director for external affairs and major gifts at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; and associate athletic director for marketing, corporate and broadcast relations. He was director of marketing and promotions at the U. S. Military Academy and marketing associate at the University of Missouri; and was marketing and development assistant at the U.S. Air Force Academy.