COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University announced a change in its athletic leadership team on Tuesday, May 24.

Tom Stock has accepted a position as a senior development officer within SJU's Office of Institutional Advancement, ending his 10-year tenure as athletic director. He will continue to be involved with SJU athletics as the Johnnies' director of athletic marketing.

Bob Alpers '82, who is currently the assistant athletic director and head golf coach, will take over as athletic director July 1.

"Bob Alpers comes to the role of athletic director exceptionally well prepared," SJU President Michael Hemesath said. "He was a great student-athlete, a great assistant coach, a nationally recognized head coach and an experienced department administrator. I have complete faith that he will continue to offer the superb leadership that our department is known for around the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and the country."

Alpers becomes the sixth person to hold the title of SJU's athletic director since 1931 and will continue as head coach of the Johnnies' golf team. He served as assistant athletic director under Stock for the past eight years. 

"I am very much looking forward to working even more closely with Bob Alpers as he adds the athletic director responsibilities to his already successful career as head golf coach," said Fr. Doug Mullin, OSB, SJU's vice president for student development who oversees athletics. "He has the vision, temperament and leadership skills to be a coaches' coach and bring out the best of everyone involved with Johnnie athletics.  

"In addition to his outstanding personal, mentoring and coaching skills, Bob has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the overall student-athlete experience that is central to the Division III philosophy. As athletic director, Bob will continue to build on the strong connections with student development that he developed as assistant athletic director. I am confident and thrilled that Bob's passion for club and recreational sports will keep these programs integral to the Johnnie experience."

The 2007 Eaton Golf Pride National Coach of the Year and a 2010 inductee into the Golf Coaches' Association of America (GCAA) Hall of Fame, Alpers completed his 23rd season as golf coach in 2015-16. Alpers has guided the Johnnies to 10 MIAC titles and 14 NCAA appearances, including back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008. SJU has finished in the top 10 at the national tournament 11 of the 14 appearances. His program has produced 29 All-Americans and 27 GCAA Scholar All-Americans since 2000.

"I am so humbled and honored to accept the position of athletic director at my home that is Saint John's," Alpers said. "I'm also thrilled that I will be continuing as our golf coach. There is nothing I would rather do, and I'll do my best to honor those who have been in the position before me.

"On behalf of the coaches and staff of the Saint John's athletic department, I would like to thank Tom Stock for all the great work he did as our athletic director. Certainly no one works harder or cares more than Tom. Tom is a great friend and I'm really excited for his next chapter.

"I've been fortunate to have worked alongside some of the giants of college coaching, and I pray that I picked up a few things along the way. Both John Gagliardi and Jim Smith always stressed that you succeed with good people, and that can apply not only to the student-athletes we work with, but also to our outstanding coaches and athletic department staff at Saint John's. I would put our staff up against any in the country. They are bright, caring, hard-working and dedicated to creating the best possible experiences for our student-athletes. 

"With the amazing new facilities we are completing and this coaching staff, our future is so bright. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us."

A four-time GCAA Central Region Coach of the Year and a 10-time MIAC Coach of the Year, Alpers has also served as SJU's recreation director since 1989. Alpers served as an assistant coach for the Saint John's basketball team for 20 seasons and was also an assistant coach for baseball and soccer at the beginning of his tenure in the department.

A standout collegiate athlete, Alpers was selected as the Johnnies' Most Valuable Player and was named All-MIAC as a senior during the 1981-82 basketball season. 

As director of athletic marketing, Stock will continue to be in charge of selling corporate sponsorships for SJU.

"Ten-plus years is a long time to have oversight of a high-profile department like Johnnie athletics," Stock said. "I am very proud of everything we have collectively been able to accomplish as a department during my time as athletic director. I wouldn't trade these years for anything. Yet, I know for me and my family, it was a great time to transition out as athletic director. 

"Bob Alpers will be a great athletic director for Saint John's. I had been working with SJU President Michael Hemesath, Fr. Doug and Rob Culligan, vice president of Institutional Advancement, to help transition me to the exact position I was seeking for my talents and skill set. I am very excited about this new opportunity in the Office of Institutional Advancement. Athletic marketing has always been my passion, so this position will be a perfect fit. I am grateful to the entire Saint John's community for helping to make the Johnnie athletic department one of the most-respected in all of NCAA Division III."

Under Stock's leadership, the Johnnies captured 15 MIAC regular-season championships and four MIAC playoff titles. In addition, 21 SJU teams earned NCAA postseason berths during Stock's tenure. He oversaw the expansion and improvement of numerous athletic facilities on campus, including the construction of Becker Park (baseball), Haws Field (soccer) and the new Gagliardi Field and seasonal dome, which is currently under construction. Improvements were also made to Clemens Stadium (the Johnnies led Division III in football attendance nine of the past 10 seasons) and Sexton Arena.

"Tom Stock has provided exceptional leadership for Johnnie athletics for the past decade, and I am excited to continue to work with him as a senior development officer to support the Saint John's mission," Hemesath said.

Stock also helped orchestrate the smooth transition of four long-time SJU coaches due to the retirements of Gagliardi (football, 60 seasons), Smith (basketball, 51 seasons), Tim Miles (track and field, 36 seasons) and Pat Haws (soccer, 32 seasons).

"I am most grateful to Tom Stock for his extraordinary vision and leadership of the SJU athletic department with which he guided us through historic changes with our iconic coaching staff and laid a strong foundation for Johnnie athletics for many generations to come," Mullin said. "I am deeply grateful that Tom will remain connected with Johnnie athletics as he retains athletic marketing in his portfolio within his new position in Institutional Advancement."