Holy Names University names Phillip Billeci-Gard new athletic director

(Oakland, CA – June 22, 2021) — Holy Names University president Mike Groener announced the selection of Phillip Billeci-Gard to lead the HNU Hawks as the University’s new athletic director. Billeci-Gard comes to HNU from Dominican University of California where he has served as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations since 2015. He will begin his new role at HNU on July 6.

Says President Groener, “Phil’s depth of experience, positive attitude, and vision for HNU Athletics make him a great choice for the athletic director position at Holy Names University. I am pleased to welcome him to our campus community and look forward to his leadership.”

Billeci-Gard played collegiate soccer, then played professionally for the Northern Nevada Aces. He began his coaching career at Dominican University in 2006 when he led their women’s soccer team. He was named the head men’s soccer coach in 2013. In 2015, he was appointed Associate Athletic Director of Internal Operations, tasked with overseeing the student-athlete experience for Dominican Athletics. Billeci-Gard was also named to the NCAA DII Men’s Soccer Committee in 2018 and became chair of the committee in 2019.

“I’m more than humbled and eternally grateful for the opportunity President Groener has provided for me to lead Holy Names University’s Athletics. Holy Names is ripe for student-athlete success on the court, in the classroom, and throughout the community. I am looking forward to collaborating with the constituents across campus and establishing Holy Names as the premier destination for DII athletics in the East Bay and beyond.”

As the Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations at Dominican University, Billeci-Gard oversaw budget compliance, the Penguin Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (PSAAC), academics, internal relations, and travel, and acted as a sports supervisor for both men’s and women’s soccer. He also served as the liaison for Human Resources in Athletics.

Billeci-Gard holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and an MBA from Dominican University.

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Holy Names University (HNU) has been empowering and preparing a diverse student body for productive lives of leadership and service since 1868. Rooted in Catholic intellectual and spiritual traditions, the University was founded by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. HNU offers a liberal arts and professional education. Student-centered, with small class sizes and courses in varied formats and schedules, HNU meets the needs of all learners, including first-generation students and working adults. Nestled in the Oakland hills of California, the University’s idyllic, 60-acre campus offers panoramic views of San Francisco Bay. For more information, visit hnu.edu.