At the end of January, the Manhattan College Athletic Department named Will Aloia Jr. the new assistant athletic director for compliance and life skills.
Aloia’s roots in sports stem from his passion to play. However, as an undersized high school offensive lineman, Aloia realized that it was in his best interest to pursue the education he desired rather than a deadend football career.
“I realized it wouldn’t take me that far,” said Aloia, “So I decided to go to UConn and get my degree there.”
It was that crucial decision to attend the University of Connecticut which set Aloia on his way. While an undergraduate student, he served as a manager for the top ranked women’s basketball team while earning his degree in Coaching and Sports Administration.
From there Aloia finished his education at the University of New Haven, where he earned his MBA in Sports Management and a graduate degree in Marketing. It was there were Aloia was given his first opportunity at the collegiate level as an assistant coach on the women’s basketball team.
“It truly is a lifestyle, and you don’t really know what goes into it until you’ve been a part or extension of the coaching staff,” said Aloia.
Even though his first chance in athletics did not suit him, Aloia looked around and found the brighter side of things. He took interest with the “in-house” portion of the job, and while he was at the University of New Haven, he was given a new chance to make an impact on the lives of the student athletes.
“Coincidentally, the Graduate Assistance for compliance and student welfare opened up,” said Aloia, “That was the best decision I ever made”
Aloia has not looked back. Since then, he has joyfully served the student athletes, coaches, and administration of every institution he has been a part of. Compliance is an invaluable asset to a collegiate athletic program, no matter how big or small. What makes it special for Aloia is how he can have a major impact on a school without bringing to much attention to his office.
“A lot of athletic directors, as well as people inside an athletic department really have a lot of gratitude for the work that we do as compliance of officers,” Said Aloia
If something from the compliance office were to be front page news, it is probably because something had gone wrong, and because of this, Aloia prides himself on flying under the radar with his job.
The job of a compliance director might be more integral to a school than the average student, or even student athlete might assume. In his last position as the compliance director for the College of St. Rose in Albany, N.Y., Aloia was responsible for the overseeing the school’s 19 Division II athletic teams and their relationship with the NCAA.
For Aloia, that just scratched the surface of the job, as he also supervised many sports, managed budgets, facilities, and worked with the SAAC to help better the lives of student athletes.
In his transition to Manhattan, Aloia just feels that he is joining a group of administrators who liked what he had done in the past and support his visions for the college.
“It was really the people I fell in love with,” said Aloia, “It seemed like a very similar situation, the people are in it for the right reasons.”
Now a Jasper, Aloia will continue to maintain a great relationship with the NCAA and the student-athletes of Manhattan College. He will be responsible for overseeing the 19 Division I programs Manhattan offers as well as working the Manhattan’s SAAC.
The SAAC is something that Aloia thoroughly enjoys being a part of. He hopes to build great relationships with those on the SAAC as soon as possible so he can en- hance the experience for a student athlete at Manhattan.
Will Aloia expressed a desire to turn his ambition into results. He is excited about the position in front of him, and is ready to be a Jasper.