Western New England University Vice President of Student Affairs Kristine Goodwin is pleased to announce that Attorney Dino L. Pollock has been appointed Director of Athletics and Recreation for the WNE Golden Bears.
"The depth and breadth of experiences Dino brings to WNE are extraordinary. Knowledge, tenacity, and an unwavering commitment to student athlete well-being and success are just a few of his qualities. We are thrilled to have him join the Student Affairs Leadership Team."
Pollock, a native of Chicago and a Big Ten varsity wide receiver and letterman for the University of Illinois football team, comes to WNE after serving as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Attorney Pollock is a seasoned Division III intercollegiate athletics senior administrator with experience overseeing sports medicine, sports information, and is a leader in external affairs, sponsorships, and corporate partnerships. He also has extensive experience in NCAA compliance having served as the senior compliance officer at UC Santa Cruz and as an Associate Director of the NCAA Office of the Committees on Infractions.
"We are excited to welcome Dino Pollock as the University's next Director of Athletics and Recreation," said University President Robert E. Johnson. "Dino is a committed leader with a deep understanding of the importance of sports and recreation in the student experience and will position WNE Athletics for a strong future."
Pollock graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.A. in Political Science and an interdisciplinary minor in African American Studies. He also earned his M.S. in Sports Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law. He was a member of two major college football bowl teams: All-American Bowl in Birmingham, AL; Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando FL.
"I am extremely grateful to President Robert Johnson and Vice President Kristine Goodwin for the opportunity to lead the Western New England University athletic and recreation programs," said Pollock. "Their dynamic leadership and extraordinary vision for WNE and its athletic programs impressed me from the very beginning of the search process. Athletics and recreation are important and integral co-curricular components of the Division III higher education mission and I look forward to leading this accomplished program to greater heights with great passion, humility, integrity, and compassion."
Pollock begins his tenure as the new Director of Athletics and Recreation at Western New England University in January, where he will be the Golden Bears' first African American athletic director in the institution's over 100-year-old history.
