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Chasing the Cats
continued from page 88
as one of the nation’s foremost ADs. Operating as a local and regional concern, the school’s athletic program
needed upgrades in facilities, marketing and its overall approach to business. In
an interview with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski earlier this year, Bodensteiner reported that when she was hired, department expenses topped out at $21 million and revenues were $4 million.
Martelli has said that when Bodensteiner’s called him into her office the day he was let go, he expected a discussion on next steps and what he believed would be a bounce-back season. Granted, Martelli had a strong overall record: 444 wins and seven NCAA tournament appearances. And his dedication to the institution and rock- solid standing in the local basketball community was undeniable. Still, some saw the move as justified, given that the Hawks have gone 41-55 over the past three seasons.
When she spoke with Sielski, Bodensteiner refuted the notion that she’d blindsided Martelli. “Everybody in this
“
promise similar success, but she sees the program as a gateway to the school for many. “Men’s basketball should align with the university’s goals of building community and building the brand,”
she says. “It should be part of what attracts students. It should bring alumni back. We saw what [success] did at Loyola Chicago and for UMBC (both of which earned recent NCAA tournament headlines). It can generate excitement.”
That’s not likely to happen this year,
as the Hawks are facing what could be
a drastic step back. Martelli’s ouster led
to an exodus of current and recruited players—most notably starting guard Lamarr Kimble, who transferred to the University of Louisville. But Bodensteiner is thinking more long term. She envisions improved facilities, including a practice center tacked onto the back of Hagan Arena. She also wants to reestablish a commitment to supporting and branding the school’s overall program, which has taken on something of a mom-and-pop personality of late.
Those ideas come straight from
Notre Dame University, Bodensteiner’s alma mater and former employer, which has effectively used continued on page 92
“Being good is no longer
the same thing as it was last
year. Students are choosing
schools on Instagram.
Part of being good now is
continuing to evolve.”
— Saint Joseph’s University athletic director Jill Bodensteiner
department knows exactly where they stand and has since the day I got here,” she said, while also noting that, “in some ways, mediocrity had become the rule.”
It’s no secret that Villanova’s two national titles have spurred interest in the institution. Bodensteiner can’t
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