The former deputy director of athletics at the University of Connecticut, assumed the position on July 1, 2004.
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McElroy Named Director of Athletics
Photo(s) by Nora Lewis
In 1981, Tom McElroy moved to Cumberland, R.I., to help mold the Big East Conference into one of the nation’s elite leagues. He figured he would spend a few years nurturing the infant conference before becoming an athletic director. Twenty-three years later, he realized his dream when he was introduced as URI’s 10th director of athletics.
The former deputy director of athletics at the University of Connecticut, he assumed the Athletic Department’s top leadership position on July 1, 2004.
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McElroy now oversees an operation with 22 intercollegiate sports and a recreational services program that includes 14 club sports and intramural programs. The Department of Athletics has a budget of about $14.5 million and serves nearly 450 intercollegiate student-athletes.
McElroy managed UConn’s transition to NCAA Division 1-A football, which included construction and operations of a $91-million, 40,000-seat football stadium. He has directed ticket marketing/seat licensing, scheduling, and television production for football. He also had administrative policy and decision-making responsibilities for the national champion Connecticut men’s and women’s basketball teams.
He brings to Rhode Island 20 years of administrative experience with the Big East Conference, including policy decision-making, daily management with member institutions, television negotiations, scheduling and production, bowl administration, communication programs, and championship management.
“It’s an exciting day at URI today as we bring on board an individual with a lengthy record of excellence in the world of intercollegiate athletics,” remarked President Carothers at the June 2 press conference that announced the hiring of the new athletic director. “Tom brings to Rhode Island a wealth of experience from his work with our neighbors at UConn, including oversight of the two best college basketball programs in the land. But Tom’s hiring means much more to URI. He has a commitment to outstanding academic performance by student-athletes, and he clearly is able to connect with alumni and friends to make them feel a part of something special.”
McElroy was chosen from a list of 48 applications and was one of five finalists. “We had an extremely strong field of finalists, and now in Tom McElroy, I am pleased to say we have someone who is perfectly poised to take over this position,” said search committee chair Dennis Nixon.
A resident of the state since 1981, McElroy has followed closely the fortunes of Rhode Island and its athletics program. “We have much to be proud of here at URI, including the outstanding record of our various teams, both on the field and off,“ McElroy said. “Rhode Island has always been among the top schools in capturing Atlantic 10 conference championships and has consistently strong representation on conference all-academic teams. This is a great opportunity at a great university, and I look forward to making the athletics program even stronger.”
Prior to working at the Big East Conference, McElroy held a variety of positions at St. Bonaventure from 1974 to 1981. After earning a B.A. in Journalism from St. Bonaventure in 1974, he was named the school’s coordinator of alumni services. In 1976, he was named director of public relations and added sports information duties in 1977. McElroy earned a Master’s in Education Administration and Supervision in 1978.
