William Peace University is proud to announce the hiring of Phil Rowe as Director of Athletics. Rowe brings a bevy of knowledge to Raleigh, owning nearly 50 years of experience as both a coach and athletics administrator. Rowe, who replaces 12-year Athletic Director and Head Women's Basketball Coach Kelly Johnson, will begin his tenure as AD on Tuesday, July 5.

"I am thrilled Phil will be joining our team here at WPU," said Brian C. Ralph, Ph.D, President of William Peace University. "He is a seasoned leader and the perfect person to continue our efforts to expand and elevate Pacer Athletics."

"It's an honor to have Phil serve as our first full-time Athletic Director without additional coaching responsibilities," said Frank Rizzo, WPU Vice President for Student Services. "I know Phil will utilize his years of experience and knowledge of collegiate athletics to build upon the work of his predecessors and enhance the student-athlete experience for our Pacers. I am confident Phil will continue to elevate and ensure the competitiveness of all our athletic programs. His energy and enthusiasm is contagious and I am certain will enliven our Pacer Pride on campus."

Following a year as the Associate Director of Athletics at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH, Rowe most recently served as a Special Adviser to the President at Endicott College in Beverly, MA, where he spent a five-year stint as head men's basketball coach from 2009 to 2014. In addition to rebuilding the men's basketball program into a Division III NCAA Tournament team that went 20-9 three seasons ago, Rowe coordinated schedules, was the liaison to student affairs, supervised home game management and served on a number of institutional and conference committees.

"It is with great pride that I join the William Peace University family as our Athletic Director," Rowe said. "I am very thankful for the opportunity that Dr. Ralph and Frank Rizzo, along with the search committee, have given me and my family. I am extremely excited to join the William Peace University athletic department, faculty, students, staff and community as we embrace the overall mission of William Peace and recognize the responsibility we share to represent our institution, program and community with class, enthusiasm and excellence.

"William Peace University has a great tradition of excellence in academics and Dr. Ralph and Frank Rizzo have the leadership it takes to embrace that excellence and drive the athletic program to achieve the same national recognition. I look forward to joining a very enthusiastic and passionate athletic department as we work together to provide our students at William Peace the very best four-year experience they can have on the court, playing fields, in the classroom and in the community."

Prior to his time at Endicott, Rowe was the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs for Athletics at Daniel Webster in Nashua, NH from 2006 to 2009. Rowe directed all aspects of the NCAA intercollegiate athletic, club sports, intramural and recreation program, while also initiating and then completing the task of creating a new NCAA conference - the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC).

In the 10 years prior, Rowe coached basketball as he led a nationally-ranked Keene State program (1996-1999) before making the jump to Division I. Rowe was the bench boss at New Hampshire (1999-2005) for six seasons and then served as an assistant on a George Washington University (2005-2006) squad that went 27-3, made the NCAA Tournament and climbed as high as No. 6 in the USA Today national rankings.

Rowe made his first stop at Daniel Webster (1993-1996) as the Director of Athletics, while also taking over the reins of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) as commissioner from 1995 to 1996. During the 92-93 campaign, Rowe oversaw a pair of programs as the Director of Athletics at both Wheelock College (Boston, MA) and Newbury College (Brookline, MA).

Rowe had previously spent two years as an assistant on the men's basketball staff at Boston University (1990 to 1992), in addition to assisting the women's lacrosse head coach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during the spring of 1992.

Rowe returned to his alma mater for five years as head coach of both the men's basketball and nationally-ranked women's soccer programs at Plymouth State (1985 to 1990). Rowe also held the title of assistant athletic director and oversaw intramurals and recreation.

Prior to his first stint at Saint Anselm, Rowe served as head coach of both the men's basketball and baseball squads at New England College (1978 to 1984) in Henniker, NH, while directing intramural, club and recreational sports as an assistant athletic director.

Rowe earned his bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education from Plymouth State and his Master's in Athletic Administration, Human Movement from Boston University.

Rowe and his wife, Suzan, currently reside in Exeter, NH, but look forward to making the move to Raleigh later this month.

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