Director of Athletics inducted into Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame
Debby De Angelis
- March 21, 2012
Cal State East Bay Director of Athletics Debby De Angelis was selected as one of 11 inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame on March 31 in Oakland. De Angelis, who is in her 11th year at the helm of the Cal State East Bay Athletics Department, was selected as this year’s inductee from the athletics category.
“I am very honored to have been selected for this award,” De Angelis said. “To be recognized for the work I love both in collegiate athletics and with rowing means a lot to me. I am thankful to Themy Adachi, Mills College Athletics Director, for her nomination and to the committee for my selection.”
Established by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the Alameda County Health Care Foundation, and the Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women in 1993, the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame annually recognizes Alameda County women for their achievements and contributions to the well-being of the county. In addition to honoring women for their accomplishments in several categories, including business, community services, art, education, environment, philanthropy and justice, the Hall of Fame also raises funds to support breast cancer prevention, education and treatment services in the county.
“Each of these 11 outstanding women contributes to life in our community in ways that help make Alameda County a place that is second-to-none in terms of its vibrant culture and the diversity of its people,” said Alameda County Administrator Susan S. Muranishi, an event co-chair. “Our Women’s Hall of Fame also continues to grow, and we believe our newest inductees will help make 2012 our best year ever.”
Named Director of Athletics at Cal State East Bay in 2001, De Angelis is the first female to hold the position at the university and just the fourth incumbent in the department’s history. Under De Angelis, the Pioneers successfully made the transition from NCAA Division III to Division II, awarding scholarships for the first time in school history and joining the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), one of the top conferences in Division II. In addition, De Angelis has been a key mentor and role model for young women in a male-dominated profession, nominating two National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) Division II Administrator of Tomorrow Award winners from her staff in the last three years.
“Debby is always looking for an opportunity to help other women,” Adachi said. “She is often the person encouraging us to step up and work in positions of influence. She takes the time to nominate worthy women for prestigious awards. When we face challenges, Debby is always there to help us problem solve.”
The athletics department began the Division II membership process during the 2008-09 season and competed as a provisional member of the CCAA for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. After completing the requirements of the three-year application process, Cal State East Bay was granted active member status in June 2011, allowing the Pioneer teams to compete for conference and NCAA championships at the Division II level. With De Angelis’ guidance through the transition, the athletic department increased in size from three to 10 full-time staff and moved from a non-scholarship program to one which exceeds the minimum of $250,000 in athletic financial aid, all while coming into compliance with Division II rules for scheduling, recruiting, scholarships and eligibility.
From the beginning of her tenure at Cal State East Bay, De Angelis has been a leader on the campus as well as in the Pioneers’ various conference and national affiliations. During her first six years in Hayward, De Angelis held many management roles in the NCAA, NAIA, Cal Pac Conference and on campus. De Angelis has served as vice president of the Association of Division III Independents, held the position of vice chair of the NAIA Region II Management Council and was an at-large member of the National Council of Collegiate Administrators.
De Angelis was also chosen by the NAIA Council of Presidents to serve on the governing body’s Gender Equity Committee in 2008 and held a variety of leadership positions within the Cal Pac, including vice president, women’s basketball liaison and tournament director for the men’s and women’s basketball championships from 2007-09. Since the Pioneers joined the CCAA, De Angelis has been a member of the conference’s Championships and game Management Committees, serves as the liaison to the league’s Compliance Coordinators and is a board member for the NACWAA since 2010.
In addition to her work in the athletics department, De Angelis has served on a number of committees and boards on campus, including the Associated Students Inc., Advisory Board, the University Homecoming Committee, the University Alcohol and Drug Education Advisory Board, among others. De Angelis has also contributed to the Hayward community as a member of the Hayward Rotary Club since coming to Hawyard in 2001. De Angelis has held several leadership positions within in the club, including stints on the Board of Directors and Program Committee, and served as the chair for the Foundation and Polio Plus Committees.
A former rower, De Angelis has also been a key contributor to the local and international rowing communities, serving on the Board of Directors of Row Chabot, Inc., spending 19 years as a USRowing Association board member, serving on the National Rowing Foundation Board of Directors and Trustees and working as an International Umpire for rowing at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. De Angelis also was an eight-time U.S. delegate to the international rowing federation and member of the federation’s Women’s and Youth Commissions for over 30 years.
The Hall of Fame induction is just the latest in a long series of accolades for De Angelis, who has been recognized both locally and nationally for her leadership, service and contributions to the many organizations she has represented. During her time at Cal State East Bay, De Angelis has been acknowledged for her leadership of the athletics department, collecting national Athletic Director of the Year honors in 2008 and regional Athletic Director of the Year accolades in both 2007 and 2008. In 2010, De Angelis was honored as the Cal State East Bay Associated Students, Inc., Ex-Officio Board Member of the Year for her service to the student government. De Angelis was also honored for her contributions to the rowing community, earning National Women’s Rowing Association Woman of the Year honors in 1983.
De Angelis came to Cal State East Bay from Towson University in Maryland where she served as the Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations. Before arriving at Towson, De Angelis spent seven years at Cal State Northridge. After serving as the athletics department business manager for four years, she was named Associate Athletic Director for Business Affairs in 1993. De Angelis first began her career in athletics administration at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., where she worked as both the head women’s crew coach and athletic business manager from 1979-83. De Angelis then spent four years as the athletic business manager for the Huskies.
De Angelis joins Starlings Volleyball Club Program Director Lisa Busbee-Young (2011), Hayward Area Recreation and Park District Lead Sports League Organizer Vanessa Woodmansee and long-time Mission San Jose High School physical education teacher Linda Campana as the only Hall of Fame inductees from the Sports & Athletics category.
The other 2012 inductees include: Terry Alderete, Business; Barbara Bernstein, Community Service; Mildred Howard, Culture & Art; Oral Brown, Education; Connie Galambos Malloy, Environment; Pamela Arbuckle Alson, DDS, Health; Jocelyn Larkin, Justice; Nicole Taylor, Philanthropy; Dawn Shaughnessy, Science and Arooj Haq, Youth. The Induction Ceremony and Luncheon is open to the public and will be held on Saturday, Mar. 31 at 11:45 a.m. at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Oakland. For ticket information, click or phone (510) 272-6510.