April 16, 2009

FAIRFIELD, CT - Director of Athletics, Don Cook, has announced the appointment of Alicia Alford as Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Senior Women's Administrator today. Alford comes to Sacred Heart from the University of Connecticut where she was the Associate Director of Athletics for NCAA Rules Education and Compliance Services and Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance for the past three years.

"Alicia brings special talents and experience to Sacred Heart athletics," says Cook. "As an athletics administrator she has enjoyed the unique benefits that come from the experience and perspective of working in Catholic higher education and gained a more in-depth experience at UConn."

In addition to her time at UConn, Alford gained experience in Catholic higher education when she worked for over five years at Seton Hall University in both athletics business and compliance. While there she earned an MBA in business management.

Alford, who joined the Pioneers a month ago, has enjoyed an impressive career in athletic administration, as well as an outstanding career in Division I athletics, having played basketball and volleyball at the University of North Carolina. She was a member of the 1997 ACC Basketball Championship team. She played for the Tar Heel volleyball team for four seasons and was named the Most Improved Player in 1997. Her senior season, she helped the Tar Heels reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years.

Most recently, Alford was inducted into her high school Athletics Hall of Fame at Summerville High School in Summerville, SC in October of 2007.

Alford takes over for Kim Callicoatte who left to take a similar position at the University of Massachusetts in February. She resides in Easton with her husband David Queally and their two dogs Ansel and Abby.

"I am very excited to be a new member of the Sacred Heart family," says Alford. "Don and the entire staff at the University have welcomed me with open arms, and I look forward to contributing great things to the already successful athletics program here."

"We are most fortunate to have an administrator of Alicia's personal and professional history to succeed Kim, who provided eight years of quality NCAA compliance experience to Sacred Heart Athletics," says Cook.