Reading Resident Named Suffolk University Director of Athletics

Cary McConnell of Reading has been selected as the new director of athletics at Suffolk University in Boston. McConnell has served as interim director since August of 2013 following the retirement of James Nelson earlier that year.

McConnell becomes Suffolk’s third athletics director in the program’s 68-year history. McConnell joins Charles Law (1946-1975) and Nelson (1975-2013) as the only other people to hold that title in the institution.

During his time under interim status, McConnell participated in an internal review of the department that resulted in a number of important recommendations for strengthening the athletics program and he has initiated the first steps toward achieving these goals.

McConnell joined the University in 1996 as associate director of athletics and head baseball coach. He had been head baseball coach position at the University of Rochester.

In his time at Suffolk, McConnell has won 479 contests (.635 winning percentage), recording at least 20-wins in a year for 17 consecutive seasons. He guided Suffolk to four NCAA Championship Tournament appearances, along with four Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) titles. Suffolk has appeared in the GNAC’s Conference Championship game for eight consecutive years. He has been named the GNAC Coach of the Year on five occasions and has taken Suffolk to ten Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournaments, including championships in 2000 and most recently in 2014.

In 2013, McConnell received the Jack Butterfield Award by the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA). The award is given to an active New England coach who demonstrates integrity and dedication to the game of college baseball.

In 22 seasons as a collegiate head coach McConnell has amassed 534 career victories.

In May 2013, McConnell was inducted into the Suffolk University Athletics Hall of Fame alongside his 2000 Baseball team. That team set a school record with 38 wins in a season, while his pitching staff led all NCAA Division-III baseball programs in earned run average (2.69) and strikeouts (401). They made their first NCAA appearance while winning both the GNAC and ECAC Tournaments. They were also inducted into the GNAC’s inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 2010.

McConnell resides in Reading along with his wife Kathy, son Charlie and daughter Annie.