Reading, Pa. (January 3, 2025) - Alvernia University Associate Vice President for Athletics Bill Stiles has announced his departure from the University at the conclusion of the spring semester following 16 years of service. 

Stiles is departing Alvernia to take the role of Director of Athletics and Co-Curricular Activities at The Hill School, a prestigious preparatory school located in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, later this year.  

Stiles joined Alvernia University as the Director of Athletics in July of 2009, and was promoted to Associate Vice President for Athletics in 2023. 

"Alvernia is an amazing place, and I am so blessed to have spent 16 years of my life as a part of it," said Stiles. "I am very proud of the role athletics has played in the transformation of Alvernia into a thriving, comprehensive regional university." 

For the last 16 years, Stiles has overseen the unprecedented and exponential growth of Alvernia University Athletics. Under Stiles' tenure, Alvernia added over a dozen new NCAA programs including Football, Men's and Women's Ice Hockey, and Men's and Women's Wrestling. Since 2008-09, Alvernia's student-athlete population has grown from 280 student-athletes, to nearly 700 student-athletes this academic year. Alvernia student-athletes average a 3.25 GPA and have a 65.5% graduation rate. 
 
"Alvernia's athletics expansion stands as a testament to Bill's strategic vision and unwavering commitment to excellence. His efforts elevated our athletics program and profoundly enriched the experiences of our students, faculty, and the broader community—both on our campus and across the nation through his leadership in the NCAA," said Alvernia University President Glynis A. Fitzgerald. "We are deeply grateful for Bill's invaluable contributions to our university and wish him every success with the Hill School." 

The student-athlete experience has always been first and foremost to Stiles. In addition to the growth of Alvernia's athletic offerings, Stiles has also overseen and managed over $50 million in new construction, renovations, and upgrades to Alvernia's various facilities in the last 16 years. Under his leadership, Alvernia underwent a major overhaul to the turf field facility and saw upgrades to the Physical Education Center that saw a combination of six new locker rooms, an expanded Athletic Training Suite, a Wrestling Room, and the addition of a grand stand with a Press Box and President's Suite at the turf field. 

The largest and most complex project during Stiles' time was the construction of the Tom and Helen Flynn Complex – a state of the art 100,000 square foot dual athletic and academic facility that opened in the Fall of 2019.  In addition to academic and multipurpose space, this facility includes a fully NCAA compliant Indoor Track, a strength room, and four locker rooms.  

"For the past 15 years, Bill has been an exceptional leader, transforming Alvernia's athletics program and leaving an indelible mark on our university community," said Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John R. McCloskey, DBA. 

Alvernia has seen great academic and athletic success on and off the field under Stiles. Alvernia has attained 15 MAC Championships, 11 ECAC Championships, and teams have made 17 NCAA appearances under Stiles' leadership. There have also been 36 All-Americans, 42 Conference Players of the Year, 16 MAC Senior-Scholar Athletes, and three MAC nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year honors during that same time. 

"The best part of my job has always been supporting Alvernia's amazing student-athletes," said Stiles. "Their commitment and dedication define what it means to be a Golden Wolf. They are exemplary representatives of Alvernia University." 

"I am also so thankful to have worked alongside incredible coaches and staff – many for my entire tenure," added Stiles. "They are among the most talented and hard-working educators and professionals I have ever been around." 

In addition to his leadership at Alvernia, Stiles is also heavily involved in service to the NCAA. He is in his final weeks serving as chair of the NCAA Division III Management Council, a post he has held since January of 2021. The Management Council is the highest-level NCAA committee on which an athletic director can serve. Prior to his election to Management Council, Stiles chaired the NCAA Division III Championships Committee from 2016 – 2020. He was the 2021 recipient of the prestigious MAC Lou Sorrentino Award, an honor selected by his peers in the Middle Atlantic Conference for a sustained and influential role in conference and national affairs, and embodiment of the NCAA Division III philosophy. 

"Alvernia is healthy and strong thanks to the foresight and leadership of the three Presidents I worked with – Tom Flynn, John Loyack, and Glynis Fitzgerald," said Stiles. "I am so appreciative of their confidence in me and their belief in the value of athletics." 

"Finally, I do not believe there is a person more responsible for the success of the university and the athletic department than Dr. John McCloskey – to whom I had the honor of reporting for the entirety of my 16 years at Alvernia," added Stiles. "I am eternally grateful for John's vision, leadership, and support. He is a great mentor and friend." 

In the coming weeks, Alvernia will launch a nationwide search for a new Director of Athletics. 

  Alvernia University is a Catholic comprehensive university with a liberal arts foundation founded by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters in 1958. The university serves nearly 3,000 students in Reading, Pottsville, and Philadelphia with a unique blend of rigorous liberal arts education, strong technical training in many high-demand majors, ever-expanding experiential learning opportunities through study abroad and internship experiences, and community engagement through its Franciscan-based community service model.