Trinity College has appointed Gavin Viano as the next director of athletics and recreation. He will join the Trinity community on August 4, 2025.
Joe DiChristina, vice president for student success and enrollment management, said that Viano quickly emerged as a leading candidate in a highly competitive national search, given his strong track record, leadership skills, and impressive career of leading successful athletic programs.
“Gavin comes to Trinity with significant experience in higher education,” DiChristina said. “In 2020, he was named director of athletics and recreation at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. In early 2022, he was promoted to associate vice president of strategic programs and assumed additional responsibilities on top of his director of athletics and recreation role.”
In his current role, Viano oversees Wheaton’s Division III athletics and recreation program and contributes to the achievement of several institutional goals, including those centered on enrollment, student wellness, fundraising, and developing nontraditional revenue streams for the college.
Before joining Wheaton, Viano worked as associate athletic director for development at Davidson College from 2015 to 2020. There he oversaw fundraising for the department and successfully completed a campaign that raised $60 million to improve facilities and to enhance the student experience. From 2010 to 2015, Viano served as the senior managing director of athletics fundraising at Dartmouth College, where he increased annual giving and broadened the donor base for institutional support.
“Throughout his career, Gavin has focused on collaborating with colleagues across campus to provide the necessary support for students to succeed both in the classroom and in competition,” DiChristina added. “His references spoke highly of his ability to foster sustainable relationships and his commitment to lead with empathy and care.”
Viano earned a B.A. in history from Clark University, where he competed as a Division III student-athlete, serving as captain of the men’s swimming and diving team. He also earned an M.S. in sports management from Drexel University.
“My family and I are thrilled to join Bantam Athletics and to become members of the Trinity community,” said Viano. “Throughout the search process, it was the people of Trinity—with their deep passion for this institution and one another—who made this opportunity so compelling. Trinity has a well-earned reputation for fostering an exceptional scholar-athlete experience while annually competing for and winning national championships. It is an honor to be entrusted with the opportunity to lead such a storied program. I am excited to partner with our coaches, athletics staff, and scholar-athletes, as well as the extended Trinity community of students, staff, faculty, trustees, alumni, parents, and supporters, to build upon our tradition of excellence under the leadership of President [Dan] Lugo.”
Incoming Trinity President Lugo added, “I look forward to working with Gavin and the Trinity community. Together, we will work hard to ensure a culture where all student-athletes can compete at the highest levels and all students can prioritize their physical wellness. As a Division III program, we have the distinct advantage of living and learning in a community where students are known, valued, and cared for as people—a student experience where academic and athletic success work in concert. I am proud of Trinity’s athletic program and look forward to cheering on our Bantam teams.”
Members of the search committee included Pamela Whitley, assistant vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion and compliance; Gerardo Ruiz Sánchez, associate professor of economics and chair of the Athletics Advisory Committee; Shannon Malloy Rhatican, director of leadership giving; Matt Hyde, dean of admissions and financial aid; Claire Joyce ’86, Hall of Fame inductee; Bill Cunningham ’87, P’19, ’21, former trustee; Samantha Slofkiss ’26; and Aleem Ogunsanya ’26. The firm Spelman Johnson facilitated this search.
