Steve
Hurlbut
Director of Athletics
Named Fairleigh Dickinson University’s fifth full-time Director of Athletics on July 9, 1998, J. Stevens Hurlbut brought an experienced and diverse athletics background to the leadership position of the University’s Division I athletics program. Hurlbut succeeded Ann Gulino, who served the 1997-98 academic year as acting director.
In Hurlbut’s three years leading the Knights’ Athletics Department, he has seen excellence on the playing field and in the classroom and has carried out the additions of women’s soccer and softball to the athletics department. Hurlbut oversaw the formation of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Division I Athletics Hall of Fame and implemented the first full-time academic support program. In the past two years the department has raised more than $250,000 in scholarship endowments. Highlighting three years as A.D., in the fall of 2000, the men’s soccer team captured the program’s first NEC regular season title, first NEC tournament crown and first NCAA post-season appearance since 1989.
In 1999, the men’s tennis team won its fourth consecutive Northeast Conference crown and made the first-ever trip representing the conference in the NCAA’s. Track standout Stephen Ondieki finished second at the 2000 NCAA Cross Country championships, ninth in the 10,000 meters at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and sixth in the 2001 NCAA indoor 5,000 meters. Long jumper Tyrone Johnson also competed at the 2001 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fencers Catie Webb and Cathleen Ferris competed at the 2000 Fencing Championships where Webb finished 24th in the epee and Ferris 14th in the sabre. Ferris returned to nationals in 2001 where she finshed 23rd in the sabre.
Along with the success of the men’s tennis team, in 1998-99, the Knights athletic programs posted a total record in conference play of 39-33-1. Fairleigh Dickinson had 13 athletes earn All-Northeast Conference honors, 34 recognized to the NEC academic honor roll, three NEC scholar-athletes, a rookie of the year and a championship outstanding performer. In Hurlbut’s first year, three coaches — Stacey Recanati (Volleyball), Pete Squires (Women’s Indoor and Outdoor T&F) and Dennis Sasso (Baseball) were named NEC Coach of the Year.
In 1999-2000, Fairleigh Dickinson University teams posted a record of 44-31-2 in the NEC. Six athletes were named All-Northeast Conference, 41 to the NEC’s academic honor roll, three were named Rookie of the Year, Ondieki twice was named outstanding track performer and senior soccer standout Patrick Leduc became Fairleigh Dickinson University’s fifth NEC Scholar-Athlete winner in three years.
The 2000-2001 season saw the Knights carry out the addition of softball after a 15-year hiatus and the first ever women’s soccer team. A total of 15 athletes garnered spots on All-Northeast Conference teams, 36 were named to the NEC academic honor roll and men’s soccer player Dirceu Hurtado earned NEC Rookie of the Year accolades. Stephen Ondieki also earned two more outstanding performer awards at the NEC cross country and indoor championships, and head men’s soccer coach Seth Roland was named NEC Coach of the Year.
Before arriving at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hurlbut served as Associate Commissioner of the Northeast Conference handling championships, compliance and eligibility. During his six-year tenure he was instrumental in raising the quality of the conference’s championships, helping to institute round-robin play in several sports while the league also added women’s swimming and golf to its championship roster. To assist the NEC in handling the costs of these additions, Hurlbut secured a five-year agreement with USAir and negotiated manufacturers’ sponsorships for the other championships.
In addition to his duties with the Northeast Conference, Hurlbut has been extensively involved in other areas of athletic administration on both a national and international level. He served on the NCAA Track & Field Committee, where he was the chair of the Division I Indoor Track & Field Championship and in 2000 served as the meet referee for the NCAA Indoor Championships. He is a peer-reviewer in the NCAA certification program, was the co-chair of the Collegiate Commissioners Association compliance committee and formerly served on the executive committee of the National Association of Athletic Compliance Coordinators. Hurlbut was responsible for three venues, including women’s basketball, at the 1994 Goodwill games in St. Petersburg, Russia and prior to that was the U.S. track and field press officer at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
Prior to his arrival at the Northeast Conference, he was a member of the University of Pennsylvania athletics department’s senior management team, which both developed and implemented policy for the 32-sport department. Hurlbut also served on the management board of the Penn Relay Carnival, the world’s largest track and field gathering, which annually attracts in excess of 80,000 fans over three days.
Hurlbut began his career in athletics at Juniata College as the Sports Information Director, Head Rugby Coach and Residence Hall Director. After two years he moved to Georgetown University where he served as Assistant Director of Sports Information for two years and Director of Sports Information from 1983 until 1988, when he left for Pennsylvania.
Hurlbut, a 1979 graduate of Lafayette College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Law, is married to Connie Hurlbut, the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Director of Operations. The couple have two children: eight year-old son, Jack, and a five-year-old daughter, Maggie.