Since joining the St. Bonaventure family in 2006, Steve Watsonhas made an indelible mark on campus. From unparralleled athleticsuccess and consistent academic achievement to majorfacilities improvements, Watson's tenure has been marked bywatershed moments and significant progress.
In 2007, Watson hired Mark Schmidt as the new men's basketballcoach. Schmidt turned around the fortunes of the proud program,winning the first Atlantic 10 Championship in team history andearning their first NCAA Tournament berth in 12 years in 2012.Schmidt's teams have been consistently competitive in one of thetop conferences in the nation. The St. Bonaventure women'sbasketball team has also broken all of its win records underWatson's watch, including the 2011-12 season when the Bonnies wentto the Sweet Sixteen for the first time and finished 31-4. Othernoteworthy athletic success during Watson's leadership includeback-to-back A-10 men's swimming championships in 2013 and 2014,six consecutive A-10 Tournament berths by the women's soccer team,and the best seasons ever for the men's and women's cross countryprograms.
Bona student-athletes have been consistent achievers in theclassroom during Waston's time, routinely earning a highercumulative Grade Point Average as a group than the student body asa whole. The Bonnies have also earned their best-ever AcademicProgress Rates (APR) under Watson's guidance.
Watson has led numerous facilities projects, most notably a $2million upgrade to the University's multi-purpose field for soccer,lacrosse and club rugby that will be completed in time for the 2014soccer seasons. This project was a direct result of the newAthletics Strategic Plan entitled "Your Teams, Our ExtraordinaryFuture" that Watson co-chaired and unveiled in 2012. Watson hasalso organized the construction of a new, $300,000 locker roomfor the women's basketball team as well as a $200,000renovation of the men's basketball locker room. In2008, "Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center" was christened,featuring a new playing surface, scoreboards, backboards, andsound system in addition to the tribute to St. Bonaventure's mostfamous alumna.
Watson serves on several committees within the St. Bonaventurecommunity, including the Senior Management Council and theAthletics Hall of Fame Committee. Watson recently served as theChair of the University campaign for the United Way and has been aco-chair of the United Way of Cattaraugus County.
Passion for and loyalty to were among the themes Watsonemphasized during his introductory press conference on Dec. 13,2006.
"The one thing that really drew me to St. Bonaventure more thananything else was the passion people have for athletics here andthe loyalty that they've shown over the years. (Athletics) areimportant. People care. People are loyal and they've stuck throughthings, good and bad. This is home. I grew up here. My firstmemories are in the Reilly Center. It's in my heart ... I'mpassionate about this place."
"Building relationships is what I think this job is all about. It'srelationships on campus, relationships with alumni, relationshipsin the community, student-athletes and coaches," Watson said. "This(athletic) department is not going to be able to survive withoutthe support and help of everyone. We need support, we need help ...the only way to do that is to build relationships."
Prior to his arrival on the southwestern New York campus, Watsonwas the associate athletics director at Eastern Michigan since2002. Before that appointment, he was the assistant athleticsdirector for facilities and operations at Eastern Michigan fromJuly 2001 to August 2002. Prior to his stint with the Eagles,Watson worked at the University of Dayton from 1999-2001 asdirector of marketing and promotions; and at the University ofGeorgia as a marketing assistant from 1998-1999.
Among his professional accomplishments, Watson helped quadruplecorporate sponsorships during his tenure at Dayton and enjoyed a 95percent success rate in retaining corporate sponsors there; wasresponsible for administrative oversight for 12 of EasternMichigan's 21 sports programs; and led a new external operationsleadership group that coordinated media and financial supportprograms for EMU.
As a collegiate student-athlete, Watson played basketball atRutgers for two seasons before transferring to Bowling Green, wherehe also played basketball and earned a bachelor's degree ininterpersonal and public communications in 1990.
Watson earned a master's degree in sports administration from OhioUniversity in 1998. After college, the 6-foot-8 forward spent sixyears playing professional basketball in Europe and Asia.
Watson, grew up in Franklinville, N.Y., and graduated fromArchbishop Walsh High School in Olean. Watson's late father, Dr.John Watson, taught in St. Bonaventure's School of Business since1975 and served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Heserved as the dean of the School of Business until his passingin 2011. His mother, Suzanne, was a computer sciencelecturer at St. Bonaventure until she retired recently.
Watson and his wife, Ann, have three children: Abby, Allison andJackson.
