BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo retires
Gene DeFilippo is retiring after 15 years as the BC athletic director. (photo from BCEagles.com)
Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo announced Friday that he will retire from his position effective Sept. 30. DeFilippo, the AD at BC for the last 15 years, said he settled on retirement after a recent bout with a treatable form of melanoma.
“My wife Anne and I have been discussing this decision for some time and we agree that this is the right time for me to retire,” DeFilippo said in a press release. “It is also the right time for Boston College to have new leadership in the athletics director’s position. In light of my recent bout with melanoma, which is treatable, this decision became clearer to me this summer. After the intensity of 40 years of intercollegiate athletics, this change will enable me to spend more time with Anne, my three children, and our granddaughter, Katherine. I look forward to this next stage of my personal and professional life.”
During his time as the Eagles’ athletic director, BC athletics transferred to full members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the football team enjoyed its most successful years in history, and the men’s hockey team won four national championships (2001, 2008, 2010, 2012), nine Hockey East championships and six Beanpot titles.
DeFilippo also greatly improved BC’s athletic facilities with the creation of the Yawkey Athletics Center and renovations to Conte Forum, Alumni Stadium, and the soccer, field hockey and lacrosse facilities.
“Gene devoted himself to building a strong, successful athletics program, one that reflected BC’s commitment to quality academics and institutional integrity,” said BC president Father William Leahy. “Doing that has been his passion and joy, and the BC community, particularly our student-athletes, have benefitted immensely from his care, advice and hard work.”
DeFilippo has been criticized by some during his tenure at BC for not strengthening the football program enough and for making some disparaging comments to the press about the BC fanbase. Some hockey fans targeted DeFilippo for caring too much about football and not caring enough about the highly successful men’s hockey team
Regardless of the criticism from fans, however, BC hockey coach Jerry York was full of praise for DeFilippo.
“We have had an outstanding run at Boston College and Gene has been terrific for our hockey program,” York said in the press release. “We’ve had a remarkable working relationship. I wish him the best of luck as he begins a new chapter in his life.”
Senior associate athletics directior John Kane will serve as the interim athletic director following DeFilippo’s retirement on Sept. 30.
