November 04, 2022
Purpose with passion
Steve Napolillo ’98 succeeded his mentor, Bob Driscoll ’22Hon., as vice president and director of athletics on July 1, 2022. A Friartown fixture since 2004, Napolillo has served Providence College in a variety of roles, including senior associate athletic director for external relations since 2014. Here are excerpts from his PC Podcast with Joe Carr ’83.
No less an authority than Bob Driscoll himself called you the perfect successor as he finished his 21-year tenure, and he should know because you worked side-by-side for so long. What do you take from that relationship as you begin in this role?
The first thing I noticed about Bob, even before I started working at PC, was his energy and vision, which are unbelievable. He made me want to be part of the team helping PC achieve its goals, and he has been a great mentor and partner ever since. It has been an incredible journey and I’m grateful.
What were the first few weeks like in the new job?
I met with as many people as I could, both internal to PC and external, including fellow athletic directors. With the ADs, we talked about what they experienced in starting jobs, what to look for, and what to ask others. It is a different view from this chair because now it’s more about making decisions than giving advice to someone who has the final say, but I felt well-prepared and grateful to everyone who took time to help me acclimate.
There are two ways to arrive in a position like this, through the ranks or from outside. Do you think there are advantages to the path you followed?
I do because I was able to hit the ground running. I love the familiarity of walking around the campus and hearing from people throughout the Friar community about their passion for our program. They know me and they know that I will listen. I always say that PC is like Coca-Cola. You may not know what the formula is, but it creates a place that is special, and I feel like I can tap into that because I have lived it for so long.
What message did you share with the athletics colleagues who work with you every day?
My platform is based on the idea that we should approach every day with purpose and passion. It does not matter if you’re a coach, an administrator, or a student-athlete, you should have a purpose and apply the passion needed to achieve it. If we do that, we will have an impact on each other and we will achieve our goals. I believe we are going to be really successful here.
You’re placing some renewed emphasis on engaging young fans. What is the thinking behind that?
My father took me to my first PC game when I was 8 so I know from experience that Providence College can make connections with fans at a young age and they will stay with us. You will always see young people at our games and that is really special. Hopefully they will want to come to PC as students, become season ticket holders, and carry on the tradition of community support.
You had a great student fan experience as a junior, with an Elite Eight Friar basketball team. What kind of impact did that have on you?
That was one of the most amazing things I experienced, and I was reminded of it last year watching our students have such a great time night in and night out at the Dunk. Like me, they will remember that forever and that’s critical because it gets our graduates excited about being alums. Hopefully they will want to give back so we can continue this great tradition.
What are some of your near-term goals?
This is a challenging time in college athletics, with considerations like Name, Image, and Likeness, conference realignment, and a shifting media landscape. From a broad perspective, we need to position ourselves to handle things the right way, with integrity and a focus on the student-athletes, so that our programs continue to be successful. The list is long, but I am excited to tackle it. I believe that it’s important to fear complacency, make sure you’re working to compete at the highest level, and have a hunger that drives you every day.
What are your fondest hopes as you look to the future?
Most of all, I’m committed to working with our coaches to holistically impact the lives of our student-athletes. That means competing for BIG EAST and Hockey East championships, in part by working to raise funds for scholarships and infrastructure to compete at the highest levels. It also means providing support in areas like mental health and nutrition, all so that they leave PC feeling good about themselves, feeling good about having been a Friar, and prepared to make a difference in the world.
