Sept. 1, 2008

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Marist Director of Athletics Tim Murray announced the hiring of Frank Lombardy as Assistant Athletics Director/External Affairs on Monday. Lombardy, a 2007 Marist graduate, worked for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) last season as Administrative Fellow for Marketing.

"As a Marist alum and having worked for Commissioner Ensor at the MAAC last year, Frank comes to us with a lot of energy and bright ideas," Murray said. "I'm confident he'll do a terrific job for us."

At the MAAC, Lombardy assisted with sponsorship sales and implementation, overseeing the marketing and event execution for the 2008 Campus Tour and assisting the senior MAAC staff with conference championships. In the spring of 2007, Lombardy interned for the MAAC and was in charge of all the marketing and on-campus advertising for the 2007 MAAC Campus Tour at Marist. The event set a record by drawing over 200 participants under Lombardy's direction.

For the past two summers, Lombardy has assisted Dr. Keith Strudler in teaching the Marist College Sports Communications Institute. The Sports Communication Institute gives high school students the opportunity to earn three college credits while spending two weeks on the Marist campus

Lombardy graduated Marist cum laude with a degree in Sports Communications. As an undergraduate, Lombardy spent a semester abroad and interned with Surf Life Saving Australia. There, his main responsibility was assisting with the marketing and communications for the Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships, one of the country's elite lifeguarding competitions.

"I would like to thank Tim Murray and [Associate AD] Travis Tellitocci for giving me this opportunity," Lombardy said. "Over the past year-and-a-half I have learned a tremendous amount from both of them. I am eager to get started and contribute to Marist Athletics."