Niagara introduces Crowley as new AD

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. (NU Press Release) - Niagara University is pleased to announce that Thomas Crowley is the new director of athletics for the Purple Eagles. Crowley comes to Niagara from Butler University where he has served as the associate athletic director-internal operations for the past five years.

“We are very excited to welcome Tom Crowley to Niagara University to lead our athletic department,” said the Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., president of Niagara University. “His experience as an administrator, fundraiser and coach will play a critical role in the continued success of our Purple Eagles. His leadership will greatly benefit our student-athletes, coaches and members of the athletic department.”

Crowley brings nearly three decades of coaching, business and administrative experience to Niagara. At Butler, Crowley was responsible for business operations, budget oversight and facilities, as well as game and event operations. He also played a key role in the development of the strategic plan for Butler’s athletic operations. 

“This is a dream come true for me, and I’m honored and excited to be coming to Niagara University to lead the department of athletics,” said Crowley. “There is such a rich history of excellence at Niagara, and I look forward to being a part of the future success of the Purple Eagles.”

Before joining the Bulldogs, Crowley held athletic development positions at Temple University and the University of Vermont. During his two years at Temple, Crowley helped increase charitable giving to the athletic department through his work with the school's Owl Club donor organization. At Vermont, he became the school’s first fully-dedicated fundraiser for athletics after spending one season as an assistant men's basketball coach for the Catamounts.

Crowley began his coaching career as an assistant men's basketball coach at Penn in 1979 and helped the Quakers to the NCAA Final Four that year. He held assistant basketball coaching positions at Xavier, Rutgers and Stanford, before becoming head men's basketball coach at St. Michael's College (Vt.) in 1990. He coached at St. Michael’s for seven seasons and served two years as head men's basketball coach at Christian Brothers University (Tenn.).

A 1978 graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Crowley was captain of the 1978 Penn basketball team that advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.