HOUSTON – On Thursday afternoon, HCU President Dr. Robert B. Sloan announced a planned transition in leadership for the HCU athletic department with current Director of Athletics Steve Moniaci moving into the role of Special Advisor to the President for Athletics and current Deputy Athletic Director Stan Williamson being promoted to Director of Athletics, effective March 1.
“Steve Moniaci has been a great Director of Athletics for HCU,” said Sloan. “He led our transition back to NCAA Division I, has been instrumental in the expansion of our programs now to 17 sports, and has led our programs to many championships and successes. Not the least of which is the extremely successful academic record of our student-athletes. I am very pleased that Steve will continue at HCU as ‘Special Advisor to the President for Athletics.”
“I want to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey with me at HCU,” said Moniaci. “I want to especially thank Dr. Sloan for taking a chance on me over 19 years ago and being so supportive of our athletic department over all these years. I also want to thank my family for allowing me the grace to put in all of the hours that I have in this role. And last, I want to thank our Lord and Savior for allowing me to continue to come to work at a place that honors his name each and every day.”
In his 46th year as an athletic administrator, Moniaci came to HCU in January of 2007 after serving 26 years across town at Rice. He initially led the effort as the University navigated its way back to NCAA Division I membership and then to membership in the Southland Conference. Under his leadership, HCU launched its football program and built an on-campus football stadium among many other facility improvements, while Husky athletic programs have won numerous conference titles and demonstrated continued excellence both athletically and academically.
Williamson joined the HCU family in August of 2018 in his current role and has been instrumental in overseeing the department’s business operations, media relations, athletic training, marketing, and corporate sales. He has extensive experience in collegiate athletics administration, including previous AD roles at West Alabama, Campbell and Nicholls.
“Stan Williamson is a great fit for his new role as Director of Athletics,” added Sloan. “He has outstanding Division I experience and has been at HCU for nearly eight years. He has earned over these years the trust and appreciation of our coaches, and will represent outstanding continuity for us. Stan will do an outstanding job in his new role.”
“I am honored to be selected by Dr. Sloan to succeed Steve Moniaci as HCU’s Director of Athletics,” said Williamson. “I am sincerely excited to continue working with this great group of coaches and staff for the benefit of our HCU student-athletes and Houston Christian University. We know God is going to do great things through HCU Athletics moving forward. Our daily goal will be to fulfill our mission of promoting a positive culture of identity for HCU through the Christ-centered development of student-athletes and teams.”
“We are all thrilled that Steve will still be a part of HCU Athletics and working directly with Dr. Sloan,” Williamson continued. “Steve has been the leader of this athletic department for nearly 20 years and I will always be grateful to him for bringing me to this campus over seven years ago.”
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About Houston Christian University
For more than 60 years, Houston Christian University has equipped students to lead, collaborate and embody a deep sense of spiritual purpose. The University offers a wide range of majors, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs, as well as NCAA Division I athletics in the Southland Conference. Located in the heart of one of the nation’s largest metropolitan centers, HCU’s culture of excellence molds the next generation of educated disciples to be pillars in their communities, preparing them to think critically and biblically as they impact the world.