Since Robert G. Driscoll was hired as the Associate Vice President for Athletics on November 2, 2001, Providence College athletics has experienced unprecedented growth in academic and athletic performance, fundraising, facilities and community involvement. Driscoll has reinvigorated the Providence College Athletics program, leading the charge with a vision of creating one of the most respected programs in the nation, where each student-athlete graduates and has the opportunity to compete for championships. Driscoll was recognized for his efforts on June 10, 2008 as he was named the 2007-08 Astro Turf Athletics Director of the Year for Division I Northeast Region at the 43rd National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Annual Convention.
The 2007-08 season proved to be another banner year for Friar Athletics. In August of 2007, the Concannon Fitness Center, a state-of-the-art $15 million facility, was opened. The Concannon Fitness Center is adjacent to the recently completed $6 million Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. The new Fitness Center houses the Friars' varsity weight room as well as administrative and coaching offices, conference rooms and locker rooms. The construction project also provides the department with a state-of-the-art sports medicine complex and a new ticket office. The Canavan Sports Medicine Facility, which was completed in August of 2008, is equipped with a hydrotherapy room, which includes a SwimEx rehab pool and two plunges for cold/hot therapy.
The construction also continues beyond the friendly confines of the College. Over the past three years Driscoll has worked strategically with lead officials in the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island to help spearhead a $75 million renovation of the Dunkin' Donuts Center, which is home to the Friar men's basketball team. Renovations began in the spring of 2006 and were completed in September 2008. The Dunkin' Donuts Center, is once again, a state-of-the-art facility that will seat more than 13,000 fans. Renovations have enhanced the game-day experience by adding 20 luxury boxes, new seats, video scoreboard, sound system, updated restaurant and concession stands, team store, locker rooms and new weight training and fitness areas. The renovations have already reaped benefits for the College, the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island, as Providence was awarded the first and second rounds of the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.
Many of the College's athletic improvements were made possible through Driscoll's fundraising efforts. In each of the six years that Driscoll has led the Friars, the athletic department has exceeded its fundraising goals and has generated over $8 million that has been utilized for student-athlete development and facility enhancements.
One of the highlights of the 2007-08 year was Driscoll's appointment of Keno Davis as head men's basketball coach. Prior to Davis' arrival at Providence, he led his Drake Bulldogs to a 28-5 record and the NCAA Tournament. For his efforts, Davis was named the 2008 National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the Sporting News.
The 2007-08 season also marked the jersey retirement of three of the greatest players to ever wear the black & white: Jimmy Walker, Marvin Barnes and Ernie DiGregorio. This sold out event at the Westin Hotel was a huge success and reunited some of the greatest players in the history of Providence College basketball with the fans.
Athletically, three Friar teams qualified for NCAA postseason competition. The men's and women's cross country teams each qualified for the NCAA Championship, while the men's soccer team earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. In addition, several athletes qualified to compete at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track Championships, including Danette Doetzel, who posted a second-place finish in the 10,000 meter run (outdoor). The field hockey team advanced to the BIG EAST title game for the second-straight season, while the lacrosse program captured the MAAC regular season title. The softball team garnered a BIG EAST Championship berth for the second time in three years, and the women's ice hockey team advanced to the HOCKEY EAST Championship Game.
Three Friars earned All-America honors a total of four times in 2007-08. Doetzel claimed All-America honors in cross country and outdoor track, while Ahmed Haji and Ben Johnston were named All-Americans in cross country and men's lacrosse, respectively. The Friars also excelled in the classroom as 103 student-athletes were selected to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team, 13 were named to the HOCKEY EAST All-Academic Team and six earned MAAC All-Academic Team recognition. In addition, PC's student-athletes averaged a 3.0 GPA during the 2007-08 academic year.
Driscoll is currently a member of the NCAA Ice Hockey Championship Committee. He also represents the BIG EAST's Athletic Directors on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and serves on the HOCKEY EAST Television Negotiations Committee. He previously served on the NCAA Division I Management Council and was an NCAA Fellows Programs Executive Mentor.
Driscoll joined the Providence community after 14½ years in athletic administration at the University of California, Berkeley. At Cal, Driscoll served as the Executive Associate Athletic Director and was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department as well as overseeing football, men's basketball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's water polo, rugby, strength training, equipment and the sports medicine programs.
Driscoll was hired at Cal as the Associate Athletic Director for Student Services, a position he held for five years. He then assumed the position of Executive Associate Athletic Director, at which point he was responsible for the administration of 27 varsity sports. During his tenure at Cal, he oversaw 25 club sports, a staff of 250 and a $36 million budget. Prior to coming to Providence, he served as the Acting Executive Director for Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports. During his tenure, Cal won over 20 national championships, competed in the Citrus, Copper, Alamo and Aloha Bowls, NCAA Basketball Tournaments and the College World Series for baseball and softball. The Bears also finished as high as 12th in the NACDA Directors' Cup.
Before arriving at Cal, Driscoll served six years (1981-87) as the Athletic Director and Chair of the Department of Physical Education, Recreation and Intramural Sports at Mills College in Oakland, Calif. Prior to arriving at Mills, Driscoll was Assistant Athletic Director and Head Baseball and Hockey Coach at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. from 1977-81. Driscoll was a stand-out hockey and baseball player at Ithaca College (N.Y.), where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1974. He earned his Master's of Science in Physical Education/Psychology of Sports from Ithaca in 1975.
A native of Concord, Mass., Driscoll was inducted into the inaugural class of Concord-Carlisle High School's Athletic Hall of Fame (football, ice hockey, and baseball) in 1993. He is the proud father of three children: Tara, a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley; Kelly, a graduate of the University of Michigan; and Sean, currently a senior at Providence. He and his wife Cathy reside in North Kingstown.
