Hometown: Livonia, Michigan
Education: Aquinas College (BA), Wayne State (MA)

A new era in the history of Madonna University athletics began on July 8, 2002 when Bryan Rizzo was named as the University's second ever Director of Athletics.

Rizzo became the youngest director in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference at the age of 33. He took over a program that sent all seven of its teams to the playoffs in 2001-02, including four teams that participated in NAIA Regional play. In addition, four of those teams were either regular season or tournament champions in the WHAC.

The tradition of success continued for the Crusaders in Rizzo’s first year at the helm in 2002 as two Crusader teams won regular season championships and three captured WHAC tournament titles. In addition, Rizzo saw two teams, volleyball and women’s basketball advance to the NAIA National Championships, with the volleyball team earning the second ever final four bid for a Madonna sport.

Rizzo has also aimed at improving the department through the addition of facilities and improvement of existing ones. In the last two years alone, Rizzo has overseen the building of a new baseball facility on campus (Ilitch Ballpark) and seen renovations to the Student Activities Center which included a complete redesign to the look of the playing floor, new championship banners and logoing throughout the space. In the summer of 2005, Rizzo also watched as new scoreboards were installed in the Activities Center, at Ilitch Ballpark and at Madonna University Field, home of Madonna Softball.

Rizzo has also worked to increase the quality of life for the student-athlete. Working with the University community, Rizzo saw scholarships at Madonna increase in the 2004-05 season and has watched with pride as the athletic department
boasted a 3.18 cumulative grade point average in 2004.

Rizzo has also overseen the growth of the athletic department with the addition of four sports since 2005.  Madonna added men’s and women’s golf and men’s and women’s cross country in the fall of 2005, bringing the total number of sports offered to 11.

Rizzo was recognized for his efforts in helping Madonna maintain its stature as one of the nation’s premier athletic programs in August 2004 with his selection as Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Athletic Director of the Year and NAIA Regional Athletic Director of the Year. In addition, Rizzo was hailed on a national level as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) General Sport Turf Central Region AD of the Year. Rizzo was honored at the 2005 NACDA National Convention in Orlando Florida.

Perhaps the crowning moment for Rizzo thus far came at the end of the 2004-05 season when the department earned the coveted All-Sports Championship awarded by the WHAC annually to the top athletic department in the conference. The Crusaders won five conference championships in 2004-05, the most in any academic year for the program.

It is no exaggeration to say Bryan Rizzo is someone who knows the Madonna athletic program from the ground up. A Livonia native, Rizzo has been involved in the program for a full decade, serving as the Assistant Athletics Director as well as the school's Sports Information Director prior to his appointment as AD. In his time as the school’s SID, Rizzo was responsible for handling all media and publicity for the department. During his sports information tenure, Rizzo earned praise for the Crusaders Online website as well as for the numerous publications he produced. Rizzo also served two years as the Media Relations Director of the conference and was the NAIA Region VIII Media Director from its inception.

During his tenure as SID, the NAIA Sports Information Directors Association honored Rizzo numerous times for his outstanding media guides. Rizzo was also responsible for game day operations for all seven varsity teams.

After obtaining a Bachelors of Arts degree from conference foe Aquinas College with a double major in English and Communications, Rizzo went on to earn a Master's Degree in Sports Administration from Wayne State University.

Being familiar with the situation he faces as Athletics Director, Rizzo has several plans he would like to initiate in the near future. Among his top priorities are the continued improvement of facilities, playing venues and the weight training facilities. Rizzo has already seen the addition of Ilitch Ballpark, a $1 million dollar on-campus facility for the Crusader baseball team during his tenure.

His unrivaled passion for Madonna Athletics is one of the main reasons that the University named Rizzo as the schools second ever Athletics Director and he hopes to continue the success that has become the norm at the school.

"I’m as excited today about Madonna Athletics as I was when I started in 1994. I believe we have the finest administration, staff, student athletes and parents in the NAIA. I am honored to be a part of it all.”

The 38-year-old Rizzo is single and resides in Northville, MI.