Now entering his 19th year as Director of Athletics and Recreation, Jack McDonald has guided Quinnipiac University into a broad-based Division I athletics program that consists of 21 varsity sports.

McDonald has been one of the driving forces during 14 successful campaigns as a Division I member. 28 teams have won conference championships, with 17 qualifying for the NCAA and national tournaments during that time. Along with its full membership in the Metro Atlamtic Athletic Conference, Quinnipiac also competes as a member of ECAC Hockey for men's and women's ice hockey, as well as the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA). 

 

Under McDonald's guidance, 2012-13 was the most successful year in Quinnipiac history with four teams winning conference championships; five teams advancing to NCAA & national tournaments; three teams advancing to the Final Four and two teams reaching the national championship finals. 

 The Bobcats also saw unmatched success as they posted their highest department-wide grade-point average as well as the largest number of student-athletes with a GPA of 3.1 or higher.

In addition to the success in athletics McDonald also spearheaded Quinnipiac's invitation to the Metro Atlantic Athletics Conference in December 2012 and he also guided Quinnipiac's successful bid to host the 2014 NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Frozen Four in March 2014.

He also helped to secure NCAA Certification for Quinnipiac, its first since moving to Division I, and assisted in the successful men's basketball coaching search that culminated with the hiring of former University of Connecticut associate head coach Tom Moore. In addition, nearly 140 student-athletes and five teams were honored by their respective leagues and organizations for academic excellence.

McDonald also was an intergral part of Quinnipiac’s program, design, construction and dedication of the TD Bank Sports Center, a 160,000 square foot facility that features separate state of the art venues for men’s and women’s basketball and ice hockey. The TD Bank Sports Center has received significant national recognition for its equity for men and women, as well as for basketball and ice hockey.

An active member of National Governance, was recently named to NACDA's Executive Committee and was the President of NACDA’s IAAA Association from 2008-2009. McDonald was also on the NCAA Championships and Competition Cabinet (1998-2002) and chair of the NCAA Ice Hockey Committee, where he championed bracket expansion from 12 to 16 teams. He also has been a member of the NACDA's I-AAA Executive Committee since 2002.

During the course of the 2007-2008 academic year, McDonald was president of Great Western Lacrosse. He has also been the president of the New England ICAAA, the regional governing body of men's track and field.

Over the past few years, McDonald assisted in the development of a successful television, radio and Internet broadcasting package for Quinnipiac athletics. In 2012-13, Quinnipiac televised games on NESN, SNY, ESPNU & ESPN3 in HD and broadcast nearly 200 additional games and events in all sports via live radio, audio streaming, video streaming and iTunes Podcasts.

McDonald and his staff oversaw the expansion and renovation of the Athletics & Recreation Center in Fall 2002, which included an indoor fieldhouse, a suspended banked track, a state-of-the-art athletic training facility and offices for coaches and staff.

He founded the Quinnipiac governing board of faculty and staff, the Athletics Council and instituted "Positive Play" programs with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In 2012-13 QU's student athletes, coaches and staff participated in over 100 Positive Play programs in the community and also raised thousands of dollars for disease research.

Before Quinnipiac, McDonald served as director of athletics at the University of Denver (1990-95) and assistant athletic director for marketing at Boston College (1987-90). During his tenure at Denver, McDonald began the process of elevating the Pioneers to full Division I membership, as well as initiated an athletics master plan that included the state of the art Daniel L. Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness.

McDonald is a 1973 graduate of Boston College. He earned a master's degree from Springfield College in 1984.

During his college career, McDonald ran and coached track. He was a four time New England Champion and set the New England indoor mile record (4:00.9) in 1976 and, as Head Men’s and Women’s Track and Cross Country Coach at Boston College, was selected Big East, New England and NCAA District I Coach of the Year in both 1984 and 1987.

McDonald was also inducted to the Boston College (1982) and the Archbishop Williams High School (1997) Hall of Fames.

In addition to assisting the University with raising funds for scholarships and facilities, McDonald has overseen fund-raising programs for the Quinnipiac community and charities, as well as raise thousands of dollars in his own community with the Irish Eyes are Miling (Cheshire Relay for Life), Labor Day Movie Night (Petit Family Foundation) and the Gurnet Saquish Beach Run (Gurnet Saquish Fire Fund).

A native of Braintree, Mass., McDonald is the oldest of 11 children. He and his wife, Linda, live in Cheshire, Conn., with their four sons: Brian, Jim, Jack and David.

DISTINCTIONS AND HONORS

Committees

2013 - 17 NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Committee

2011 - 15 NACDA Executive Committee

2011 - 15 NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics

2011 - 12 Chair, ECAC Hockey Executive Committee

2008 - 09 President NACDA IAAA Athletic Director’s Association

2007 - 08 1st Vice President NACDA IAAA Athletic Director's Association

2007 -      NACDA IAAA Executive Committee

2006 - 08 President, Great Western Lacrosse League

2005 - 06 Steering Committee & Campus Liaison -- NCAA Certification

2005 - 06 Chair, NCAA Championship Cabinet, Travel Policies Committee

2003 - 07 NCAA Certification - Peer Reviewer

2002 - 06 Member, NCAA Division I Championships and Competition Cabinet

1998 - 02 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee (Chair 2001-2002)

1999 - 09 President - New England Track & Field Association

1994 NCAA Men's Basketball Mid-West Region Ranking Committee

1994 Colorado Athletic Conference, Chair - Athletic Directors

1993-94 Executive Committee - NACDA

1992-94 NCAA Hockey Western Region Ranking Committee

1992-94 Board of Directors - Colorado Sports Council

1992-94 Member - Student Life Council, University of Denver

1990-92 Member - Student Retention Committee, University of Denver

1990 Member - Physically Challenged Advisory Committee, Boston College

1987-90 Chair - BIG EAST Cross-Country Committee

 

Honors

2004 New Haven Register Sports Person of the Year Nominee

2000 Quinnipiac United Way Campaign Chair

1996 Archbishop Williams High School Hall of Fame Inductee

1993 Recipient - All University Pioneer Award, University of Denver

1989 BIG EAST Conference "Decade of Excellence" Award

1986-87 NCAA District 1 & New England Track & Field Coach of the Year

1984-86 President - BIG EAST & Greater Boston Track & Field/Cross-Country Coaches Association

1984 NCAA District 1 Cross-Country Coach of the Year

1984 New Englnd & BIG EAST Cross-Country Coach of the Year

1982 Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame Inductee

1976 New England Indoor Mile Record Holder (4:00.9)

1972-73 Captain, Boston College Cross-country and Track & Field Teams

1971-73 Three-time New England Intercollegiate Mile Champion

1969 Archbishop Williams HS - One Mile Run Record Holder (4:17.8)

1969 All State One Mile Runnerup - Archbishop Williams HS

1969 Class D Indoor & Outdoor Mile Champion - Archbishop William HS

 

Presentations/Instruction/Consulting

2000 - Present Guest Lecturer at Quinnipiac Schools of Business and Communications 

1994 Instructor - Sports Management , University of Denver

1993 Moderator - NACDA Roundtable, "Networking & Email in Athletics "

1991-93 Instructor - Freshman Experience, University of Denver

1991 Moderator - NACDA Roundtable "Computerizing via the Macintosh "

1980-82 Co-Director - National Youth Sports Programs (NYSP) Youth Camp

1984-87 Co-Director - John Hancock Running & Fitness Clinics

1984-88 Consultant - Saucony/Spot-Bilt Athletic Footwear

1980-84 Consultant - Reebok U.S.A. Limited

1979-87 Meet Director BIG EAST Cross-Country Championships

 

Founder - New Programs & Events

2009 - Founder/Host Gurnet Saquish Beach Run to Benefit Gurnet Saquish Fire Fund

2000 - Director - Quinnipiac University Games

1997 - Founder/Host Rustic Lane Movie Night to Benefit Petit Family Foundation

1996 - Founder, Irish Eyes Are Miling to Benefit Cheshire Relay for Life

1998 Co-Founder - MAAC Hockey League

1996 Co-Founder - Quinnipiac Midnight Madness

1996 Founder - QUINNIPIAC CUP Ice Hockey Tournament

1992 Co-Founder - Gender Equity Task Force, University of Denver

1992 Founder - DENVER CUP Holiday Hockey Tournament

1991 Founder - Student-Athlete Advisory Council, University of Denver

1978-88 Founder/Meet Director, Boston College Holiday Track Classic

1975-88 Founder/Director Gurnet Classic Beach Run, Duxbury, MA

1973 Founder/Managing Director, Greater Boston Track Club

 

Other Activities

1990 Boston Red Sox Video (& Manual) Scoreboard Crew at Fenway Park

1988-89 Volunteer - Boston School Department College Bound Program