News and Events

Holy Names University Announces Dennis Jones as Director of Athletics and Recreation

August 18th, 2008

Dennis Jones, Associate Director of Admission and Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Holy Names University has been appointed Director of Athletics and Recreation at HNU. Dennis will continue to coach the men’s basketball team.

Michael Miller, Vice President for Student Affairs, announced the hiring of Dennis after an extensive search: “We are very excited that DJ will lead HNU athletics into the future. His long-time relationship with the university and the athletic program, his success as a coach, and his commitment to the total education of student athletes makes him by far the right choice for HNU. We expect great things from Dennis – he has outstanding leadership abilities, keen insights into education and athletics, and demonstrated success in coaching, recruiting, and organization, all of which will help him build on the success of the Hawks Athletic Programs.”

From 1998 to 2004, DJ coached the women’s basketball team to six consecutive California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) Championships and six berths, including two “Sweet Sixteen” appearances, in the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Tournament of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

In 2005, DJ switched teams to take charge of the men’s basketball program at HNU, which was struggling to maintain it success. In just four years, the men’s team has won one Cal Pac championship outright and two conference tournaments, and in 2006 and 2007, they earned berths to the NAIA National Tournament.

Along the way, Dennis has also served HNU as the sports information director, assistant director of athletics, admissions recruiter, and director of summer basketball camps.

DJ’s long-time relationship with HNU is also a family affair. While earning his bachelor’s degree in History and Social Science from HNU in 1998, Dennis met his future wife Jennifer who is also a graduate of the university. They now live in Oakland, CA, with their daughters Rosa and Eva, both of whom may often be found at HNU events, basketball games, and summer camps.
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DJ becomes the athletic director of an intercollegiate sports program at HNU that is in its 14th year. Since the program’s inception in 1995, HNU athletics has captured 31 California Pacific Conference titles and has had 21 berths to the NAIA national tournament.