Coast Guard Academy Welcomes New Athletic Director

Robert J. Arkeilpane has been selected as the new athletic director for the Coast Guard Academy, replacing a longtime contributor to the school's sports programs.

David M. Santos, communications director at the academy, said Arkeilpane comes to New London from Ohio, where he had been serving as deputy director of athletics at the University of Cincinnati. Arkeilpane replaces Dr. Ray Cieplik, who is retiring this summer after more than 40 years at the Coast Guard Academy. Cieplik served 31 years as the men's soccer coach and 12 years as athletic director.

“After an exhaustive national search, Bob stood out with an impressive record of experience from all aspects of intercollegiate athletics.  He is a leader with vision, who I am confident will make a huge contribution towards helping us develop leaders of character and attain national prominence,” Rear Admiral Sandra Stosz, superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, said in a statement. “We are all excited that he has accepted our invitation to lead the academy’s athletic program and I look forward to his positive leadership and support for our athletes, coaches and staff.”

Arkeilpane joined the University of Cincinnati's athletic department in 2005 after serving three years as associate vice president of the University of Cincinnati Foundatin, a private fundraising branch of the school. Arkeilpane also worked for this organization as college director of development and alumni relations from 1987 to 1991.

A native of Amherst, N.Y., Arkeilpane earned an athletic scholarship to Syracuse University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1981. He went on to earn a master's degree from Ohio while serving as a graduate assistant football coach. Arkeilpane worked as a director of annual giving from 1983 to 1985 and held an assistant athletics director and development position until 1987. He held similar positions at the Miami University in Ohio between 1993 and 1995.

Arkeilpane also served three years as associate athletics director of development at the University of Buffalo in New York starting in 1995 and spent five years as the athletics director of the university starting in 1999. During his time there, three sports were added to the 17 on the roster: women's softball, crew and baseball.

As athletics director, Arkeilpane will oversee 23 intercollegiate sports offered by the Coast Guard Academy. Eleven are men's teams, nine are women's teams, and three are co-ed. Most of the teams compete in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference.
 
"I am extremely excited to be joining the Coast Guard Academy family and look forward to working with Admiral Stosz and the rest of the academy community,” Arkeilpane said in a statement.  “I was very impressed with the coaches and other athletic staff members, who I met during my campus visit, and am anxious to become part of the team."