Red Storm Sports News

St. John’s University Director of Athletics Chris Monasch announced the elevation of veteran administrator and current Director of Athletic Development, Brian Colleary, to Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs. Colleary, who will continue his duties as Director of Athletic Development in the University’s Division of Institutional Advancement, will oversee the Red Storm’s athletic fundraising, corporate marketing and sponsorship, sports marketing and promotions and ticket operations areas.

“Brian has done a great job in rejuvenating our Athletic Development program at St. John’s,” said Monasch. “His experience as a Division I Athletics Director makes him an ideal candidate to oversee these important areas of the Red Storm Athletics Department.”

Colleary, the former Athletics Director at both Duquesne University and Marist College, has directed St. John’s Athletic Development unit for the past two years and has seen record increases in all areas since taking the position in August of 2005. The number of overall department donors and Red White Club members have both doubled, and annual giving has improved by 33 percent.

Prior to his appointment at St. John’s, Colleary served as Duquesne’s Director of Athletics for 16 years, from 1989-2005. While in Pittsburgh, he oversaw the Dukes’ 20 NCAA Division I varsity programs and I-AA football team, while administrating Duquesne’s widely-regarded recreational and intramural sports programs as well. 

From 1985-89, Colleary served as Athletics Director at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where he supervised the Red Foxes’ 18-sport varsity program. While at Marist, Colleary instituted the Red Fox Booster Club, and in 1989 was tabbed with the “President’s Award for Outstanding Leadership and Dedication.”  

A 1978 graduate of Fordham University in the Bronx, Colleary began his career in athletics as the head football coach at Iona College in 1979. He served in several different capacities for the Gaels from 1979-85, eventually ascending to Associate Athletics Director while running his career football coaching record to 26-20-2.

Colleary and his wife, Anne, reside in East Northport, Long Island. The couple have two children, Elizabeth Lee, a fifth grade teacher in McMurray, Pa., and Christopher Colleary, who serves as Director of Ticket Operations for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. The Collearys also have two grandchildren, Kayliegh Colleary and Seamus Lee.