| Title: | Director of Athletics |
| Phone: | 207/893-6675 |
| Email: | wsanborn@sjcme.edu |
Saint Joseph's College President Dr. James Dlugos announced on July 13th, 2020 that Will Sanborn '86 was named as the of Director of Athletics.
After serving as the Associate Director of Athletics at Saint Joseph's since 2006, Sanborn fills the post vacated by Brian Curtin, who was in his 15th year as the Monks' top executive before departing earlier this year.
In his new role, Sanborn will report directly to President Dlugos.
Sanborn, one of the most successful head coaches in New England NCAA DIII Baseball history, will continue to skipper the St. Joe's nine while assuming the Director of Athletics position. With a 752-396-5 (.652) career record and 21 championships under his belt, Sanborn will begin his 29th season at the helm for the Monks in the spring of 2021.
"I am honored to serve as Athletic Director," adds Sanborn. "As a former student-athlete and longtime coach at Saint Joseph's, I am keenly aware of what our athletic program means to our student athletes, coaches, alumni, parents, and fans. The commitment level of our athletes and coaches is second to none. Despite the current challenges, in the short term we will be focused on providing a meaningful athletic experience for our student athletes when they return to campus in the fall. I look forward to joining them as we 'Build on our Championship Culture!'"
Having spent the better part of four decades at Saint Joseph's in some capacity, Sanborn brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and passion for the College to the Monks' highest-ranking position. Not only is he the winningest coach in St. Joe's athletics history, Sanborn has also built a nearly peerless reputation as a recruiter and fundraiser while holding the members of the baseball program to the highest of academic standards.
All three tenets will likely be focal points during what figures to be a seamless leadership transition for the Monks' veteran staff and coaches.
Sanborn will also draw from his vast experience as an athletics administrator, as his secondary responsibilities over the years have allowed him to oversee nearly every facet the department has to offer, including significant time as the supervisor for the Athletic Facilities Maintenance crew and the Athletics Event Staff. He has also served as the Admissions Liaison for the department and most recently implemented for the coaching staff an extensive recruiting program, which features bi-monthly recruiting luncheons and round table discussions pertaining to the latest recruiting and retention trends.
"Will's commitment to Saint Joseph's, to Monks sports, and--most importantly--to the success of our student-athletes both on and off the field is well-known," adds President Dlugos. "We're fortunate to have Will leading our athletics program during this time."
Sanborn will be the sixth Director of Athletics in the history of the College, as he joins Chris Kiernan (1971-81), Rick Simonds (1981-92, 1993-03), Mike McDevitt '83 (1992-93), David Roussel (2003-06), and Curtin on the short list of top SJC athletic administrators since the inception of the department in 1970.
Prior to being named as the head coach at Saint Joseph's in the fall of 1992 Sanborn, a 1986 Saint Joseph's College graduate (History/Secondary Education), was a three-year starting outfielder for the Monks and served as an assistant baseball coach at SJC during the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
In nearly 20 years as the SJC baseball leader, Sanborn has built one of the most consistently successful NCAA DIII programs in the country. As a testament to his growing legacy, Sanborn was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013.
With a victory early in the 2018 season, Sanborn became the 37th NCAA DIII Baseball coach to record his 700th career win and, at the time, was one of just five New England Region skippers to have reached the lofty plateau. In 28 years, Sanborn's Monks have surpassed the 25-win mark on 20 occasions – a number that includes thirteen 30-win campaigns – with 24 winning seasons.
The Monks have been particularly strong since the start of the 2005 season. Over the last 15 years, Saint Joseph's has posted an incredible 471-199 (.703) overall record, including an otherworldly 185-40 (.822) mark versus conference foes.