NYIT to name Dan Velez athletic director, sources say

NYIT is expected to name Dan Vélez director of athletics in a news conference Thursday on the campus in Old Westbury, sources familiar with the hiring said Wednesday.

Vélez has held the job on an interim basis since June when former athletic director Duane Bailey accepted a similar position at the University of New Haven.

Vélez, 35, had served as Bailey’s associate director since 2015 at Division II NYIT. He was charged with running men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s basketball, women’s soccer and volleyball. He also was in charge of the recreation and intramural program.

“These are exciting times at NYIT as an institution as well as athletically,” Vélez said on the college’s website at the time of his interim appointment. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with our new president, Hank Foley, during this period of transition. Duane laid a great foundation at NYIT, and I am excited to be able to continue to build on the great work of the student-athletes and coaches as interim director. At the end of the day, our responsibility as athletic administrators is to serve the student-athletes and coaches. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to become the champions we want to be. My hope is to help lead them to unprecedented success as we strive to become a national brand.”

Foley became NYIT’s president in June. He was the interim chancellor at the University of Missouri.

Before joining NYIT, Vélez was the associate athletic director for operations at Siena College, where his wife, Kara, is the head field hockey coach. He earlier served as Seton Hall’s assistant athletic director for facilities and operations. Vélez graduated from Kutztown University and earned a master’s degree from West Virginia University.