CALIFORNIA (Dec. 12) – Following 20-plus years as the Athletic Director at California University of Pennsylvania and a career of over 40 years in working with intercollegiate athletics, Athletic Director Dr. Tom Pucci will retire at the end of the semester.
“We value his significant contribution to our athletic program, as we have won dozens of championships and the school's first Dixon Trophy under his leadership,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Lenora Angelone. “We wish him health and happiness in his well-earned retirement, as he returns to South Carolina to join his family."
Dr. Karen Hjerpe will then serve as Interim Athletic Director.
“Dr. Hjerpe has been a valued member of the Athletic Department since 1993. Her academic background, as well as her work as our Senior Woman Administrator and associate athletic director, make her uniquely qualified to step into this new position.”
Pucci led the Vulcans to unprecedented success at the conference, regional and national levels over the last two decades. Since he came to Cal U in the fall of 1991, the Vulcans have won a combined 38 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships, featured 19 Academic All-Americans and captured three NCAA Division II National Championships (softball 1997-98; women's basketball 2004).
“My greatest accomplishment was keeping such a quality staff for a long time,” said Pucci. “It's a credit to our President (Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr.) for rewarding success and building such beautiful facilities.”
Pucci leaves a Cal U program that is among the elite in the country. After winning the school's first ever PSAC Dixon Trophy in 2008-09, the Vulcans posted the highest finish of any PSAC school in the Director's Cup the following year by finishing second. Following arguably the most successful overall fall season in school history, Cal U leads the Dixon Trophy standings and ranks fifth in the national Director's Cup.
Prior to his time at Cal U, Pucci served as the Athletic Director at California State University, Sacramento and University of South Carolina Upstate (formerly Spartanburg). He started his career in college athletics as a tennis coach, serving as head coach at Arkansas from 1976-84. In the fall of 2009, Pucci was inducted into the Razorback Sports Hall of Fame.
Hjerpe has served nine years as the Associate Athletic Director and has worked with the Cal U athletic program for nearly two decades. She was the head coach of the Vulcans volleyball team from 1993-97 before assuming the role of Athletic Business Manager. Hjerpe, who also is the program's Senior Woman Administrator, was promoted to Associate Athletic Director in 2003.
