Matt Croci
Photo by Erin Pence
Springfield, Ohio – Wittenberg University Director of Athletics and Recreation Gary Williams has announced that Matt Croci, class of 1994, has been selected for a newly created position of assistant director of athletics.
In his new position at Wittenberg, which is funded by an anonymous donor, Croci will develop comprehensive recruiting, retention and stewardship strategies for Wittenberg’s student-athletes, coaches and administrators. He will also work closely with administrators in Wittenberg’s Office of Student Involvement to ensure a more robust recreational, intramural and club sport experience for all students at the university.
“We are thrilled to have Matt, his wife Patrice and his family return ‘home’ to Wittenberg,” Williams said. “Matt brings a tremendous sense of energy and enthusiasm to our administrative team as he begins his work with our coaches and our university in the areas of recruiting, student success, and alumni relationships. Matt loves Wittenberg, and his passion will help all of us continue to improve as individuals and as a department.”
Croci is one of the finest basketball players in Wittenberg history. Between 1990 and 1994, Croci was a standout at point guard for the Tigers, who compiled a sparkling 98-14 four-year record in that span. As a senior, Croci served as a co-captain of the only Tiger team to complete an undefeated run through the regular season. The 1994 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Player of the Year, Croci led the Tigers to a third-place finish in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
A 2005 inductee into the Wittenberg Athletics Hall of Honor, Croci has enjoyed a successful coaching career. He has served as an assistant coach at Capital, Wittenberg and Mary Washington (Va.), and he also enjoyed a tremendous run as the head coach at Kenyon from 2004-10. Under Croci’s leadership, the Lords posted back-to-back top-four NCAC finishes for just the third time in program history, and in 2008 he was named NCAC Coach of the Year.
“Matt will touch many diverse facets of the athletic experience and with his past experiences as a collegiate coach and as an alumnus of Wittenberg, I could not think of a better fit for this position,” Williams added. “Our department and university are forever grateful to the anonymous donor for their unselfish gift to help us grow and strive for greater gains in areas this university is focused on: student success, fulfilling our institutional mission, and financial sustainability.”
Croci holds the distinction of being the only individual to ever win NCAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors. His name continues to appear frequently in the Tiger men’s basketball record book.
“I am truly honored to have been presented this opportunity and am very excited to be back at Wittenberg,” Croci said. “I look forward to supporting all of our terrific coaches and staff members. My family and I want to thank Dr. Gary Williams, Dr. Laurie Joyner and those key folks behind the scenes that made this possible. I can’t wait to get started.”
Croci earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Wittenberg in 1994, and he is currently working toward a master’s in sports leadership from Northeastern University. His wife, Patrice, is a 1995 Wittenberg graduate. They reside in Upper Arlington with their three children.
Written By: Ryan Maurer