Robert J. Coleman enters his ninth season at Whittier College under the title of Special Assistant to the President and Executive Director of Athletics and is a valued member of the President’s Senior Staff. As athletic director, Coleman has been responsible for the operations of Whittier College’s athletic department, which currently sponsors 24 intercollegiate varsity sports (12 men, 12 women).
Several facility initiatives have also been established to benefit Poet Athletics during Coleman’s tenure. The recent upgrades to the Graham Athletic Center include a new 43 m x 25 m pool with new offices, a four color outdoor video display scoreboard and a two story addition to the Graham Athletic Center which includes a new Hall of Fame, offices and locker rooms. The $9 million dollar facility was unveiled in February 2012.
Other additions include a new synthetic surface for Wallace Newman Field, and state-of-the-art press box, stadium seating, outdoor display scoreboard, track resurfacing and lighting for Memorial Stadium. Refurbishments and improvements have also occurred to the Graham Athletic Center, Ettinger Tennis Facility, George Allen Fitness Center, Donald Graham Soccer/Lacrosse Field, Memorial Baseball Field and the Athletic Training Room. These improvements have included new scoreboards, locker rooms, dugouts, backboards, sound systems, logos, flooring and weight room equipment, to name a few.
Prior to his appointment at Whittier College, Coleman was the Director of Athletics at The City College of New York from 1998-2005. During his tenure at CCNY, Coleman reorganized the entire program. Under his direction the program won nine tournament championships and sent four teams to the NCAA Division III Championships with Women’s Track and Field finishing as high as third place on two separate occasions. The program also sent seven teams to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships Tournament with Men’s Volleyball winning the Metro South Championship. Coleman also brought extensive renovations to the athletic facilities at CCNY, including the Nat Holman gymnasium, fitness center and athletics offices.
Before joining CCNY in 1998, Coleman served as the Assistant and Associate Director of Athletics at Hunter College (N.Y.) from 1990-1998 and received the graduate fellowship from the Springfield College athletic department in 1988-89.
Coleman received his Bachelors of Science in Athletic Administration from St. Leo University, Fla., in 1987 and a Masters of Education specializing in Sports Management from Springfield College, Mass., in 1989.
[Courtesy: Whittier College web site]
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