Bill Mecca Honored at 39th Annual Franciscan Sports Banquet
6/4/2025 9:11:00 AM | General
SOUTHINGTON, Conn. – Quinnipiac Senior Associate Athletic Director Bill Mecca was honored at the 39th Annual Franciscan Sports Banquet and Silent Auction on Tuesday night at the Aqua Turf Club.
Mecca received the Dean of Sports Award – which was established in 2013 to honor the memory of Arnold Dean, host of WTIC "Sports Talk."
He was introduced by former Quinnipiac baseball manager Dan "Skip" Gooley, Quinnipiac baseball's all-time wins leader as a manager. Sister Suanne Gross, FSE., Administrator, Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care, presented Mecca with the Dean of Sports Award.
A member of Quinnipiac's athletic department since 1978, Bill Mecca has fulfilled a variety of roles in his 40-plus year tenure in Hamden. Mecca is in his 27th year as Senior Associate Athletic Director. He is responsible for all internal operations of the department, including but not limited to supervision of scheduling, facilities, game officials, game operations, sports medicine, strength and conditioning and strategic planning.
From 1978–91, he was an assistant men's basketball coach, head men's tennis coach and assistant director of athletics under the legendary Burt Kahn. In 1991, Mecca was named Head Men's Basketball Coach and served five seasons before being promoted to his current role. He also served as Interim Athletic Director during the respective transitions in both the summer of 1995 and 2015.
For his continued success as a leader in the Department of Athletics, Mecca was inducted into the Quinnipiac University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 and was presented with an honorary lifetime membership into the Quinnipiac Alumni Association in 2013. He was inducted into the MAAC Honor Role in a ceremony and exhibit at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 and the following year received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer service to the youth of this country from then President Barrack Obama.
An accomplished speaker and broadcaster, Mecca has provided radio and television color analysis for the Quinnipiac men's and women's basketball games for the past 30 years on a variety of platforms which include AM-1220 WQUN, NESN, SNY, ESPN3 and ESPN+. Mecca was also the co-writer and co-host of the immensely popular and three-time Emmy-nominated, "Bobcats Unleashed in HD".
ABOUT FRANCISCAN SPORTS BANQUET
In 1986, Father Douglas Mosey, CSB; Anthony Giampietro, Thomas Elliott, Martin Grealy, John Rossi, and John Hiller came together to help the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist fundraise. These men organized the first Franciscan Sports Banquet for the benefit of the Franciscan Life Center. This event honors, in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi, individuals who combine excellence in athletics with joyful service to the community.
All proceeds from the event benefit the Franciscan Life Center and Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care
More Information – CLICK HERE
Mecca received the Dean of Sports Award – which was established in 2013 to honor the memory of Arnold Dean, host of WTIC "Sports Talk."
He was introduced by former Quinnipiac baseball manager Dan "Skip" Gooley, Quinnipiac baseball's all-time wins leader as a manager. Sister Suanne Gross, FSE., Administrator, Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care, presented Mecca with the Dean of Sports Award.
A member of Quinnipiac's athletic department since 1978, Bill Mecca has fulfilled a variety of roles in his 40-plus year tenure in Hamden. Mecca is in his 27th year as Senior Associate Athletic Director. He is responsible for all internal operations of the department, including but not limited to supervision of scheduling, facilities, game officials, game operations, sports medicine, strength and conditioning and strategic planning.From 1978–91, he was an assistant men's basketball coach, head men's tennis coach and assistant director of athletics under the legendary Burt Kahn. In 1991, Mecca was named Head Men's Basketball Coach and served five seasons before being promoted to his current role. He also served as Interim Athletic Director during the respective transitions in both the summer of 1995 and 2015.
For his continued success as a leader in the Department of Athletics, Mecca was inducted into the Quinnipiac University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 and was presented with an honorary lifetime membership into the Quinnipiac Alumni Association in 2013. He was inducted into the MAAC Honor Role in a ceremony and exhibit at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 and the following year received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer service to the youth of this country from then President Barrack Obama.
An accomplished speaker and broadcaster, Mecca has provided radio and television color analysis for the Quinnipiac men's and women's basketball games for the past 30 years on a variety of platforms which include AM-1220 WQUN, NESN, SNY, ESPN3 and ESPN+. Mecca was also the co-writer and co-host of the immensely popular and three-time Emmy-nominated, "Bobcats Unleashed in HD".
ABOUT FRANCISCAN SPORTS BANQUET
In 1986, Father Douglas Mosey, CSB; Anthony Giampietro, Thomas Elliott, Martin Grealy, John Rossi, and John Hiller came together to help the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist fundraise. These men organized the first Franciscan Sports Banquet for the benefit of the Franciscan Life Center. This event honors, in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi, individuals who combine excellence in athletics with joyful service to the community.
All proceeds from the event benefit the Franciscan Life Center and Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care
More Information – CLICK HERE
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