SUNY Oneonta
athletic director
announces June retirement

Ranieri has been at
college since 1991, A.D. since 2007

SUNY Oneonta Athletics Director Tracey Ranieri announced that she is retiring in June, according to a media release by the school Tuesday, April 27.

“Ranieri’s 30-year tenure of excellence in collegiate athletics will be one that leaves an indelible mark on the college and the impact she has had on the lives of thousands of student athletes is immeasurable.  Her passion for student athletes is inspirational,” the release said.

A Schenevus native, Ranieri worked in coaching and administration while also serving nationally in decision-making positions to affect positive change within the field of athletics.

Ranieri, 56, began her tenure at the college in 1991 as the women’s soccer coach and senior woman administrator. She took on additional duties as the assistant athletic director in 1995.

As soccer coach, from 1991-2006, Ranieri built a program that set the record at the time for all NCAA divisions, men, and women, for the longest conference unbeaten streak, with 101 games without a loss. Her tenure included 14 post-season appearances including eight straight NCAA appearances from 1999 to 2006, eight SUNYAC Conference Championships, five SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors, NYSWCAA Coach of the Year and NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year.

In 2003, Ranieri was named the National Coach of the Year when Oneonta won NCAA Division III National Championship, the college’s only team to accomplish the feat.  Ranieri and her husband, David, who served as her associate coach for 15 years, celebrated numerous academic and athletic All-Americans.

In 2007, Ranieri was selected as the athletic director.

“What has happened during the last 15 years, is nothing short of transformative,” the release said.  “Every aspect of the way the athletics department operates has been influenced by the energy and foresight that Ranieri brought to the position.  Her tireless efforts to elevate the department in academics, athletic excellence and service is the benchmark for the future.  She has been involved and worked with every office on the campus to foster lasting relationships to the benefit of students and athletes at Oneonta.”

Under her watch the college’s athletes have a had higher GPA, retention and graduation rate than the general student body. the school said.

In recent years, Ranieri played a principal role in securing two new turf field facilities, a turfed baseball facility, upgrades to the softball facility that included a grandstand, press box and new dugouts and upgrades to existing locker rooms where teams have their own spaces.  With her hands in many projects and programs on-and-off campus, she is known as a self-starter who works cooperatively with all facets of the campus community to support scholar athletes and promote growth in the athletics program.

Over the course of 30 years within the SUNYAC, which is the oldest Division III conference, Ranieri positively impacted many areas that has positioned the conference for continued growth and success.  She served as the President during the 2001-02 academic year and again from 2017-19.  She served on many committees and brought her passion to many of the student athlete initiatives that allowed the conference’s student athletes to benefit in many ways regionally and nationally.

In 2013, Ranieri was appointed to serve a four-year term on the NCAA Division III Management Council where she later served as its Chair during 2015-16.  The Management Council consists of 19 members, and includes Division III Chief Executive Officers, faculty athletics representatives, athletic directors, senior woman administrators, conference representatives and student-athletes. The council serves nearly 450 active NCAA Division III member institutions in 43 conferences.

In 2016, Ranieri was appointed to serve on the NCAA Board of Governors Ad Hoc Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity & Equity.  The committee was comprised of presidents, commissioner’s, and athletic directors within the governance structure from all three divisions. The committee was tasked with developing strategic and funding initiatives to increase the cultural diversity in coaching, athletics administration, and national office staff.  Secondarily, the committee’s work included similar and equivalent strategic efforts related to gender equity with initiatives further informed by the recommendations of the Gender Equity Task Force.

Dan Dutcher, former Vice President of Division III said: “Tracey’s commitment and service to the council were matched only by her passion for the Division III model and student-athlete experience.  Her enthusiasm was contagious!”

In 1999, Ranieri was inducted into the New York’s Section Four Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2001, she was inducted into her alma mater, Ithaca College’s, Athletic Hall of Fame. She was Ithaca’s  women’s soccer program’s first All-American.

In 2004, she received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. In 2007, she received the City of Oneonta Trailblazer Award from the Commission on Community Relations and Human Rights. The Award is presented to a woman who has shown the courage and dedication to go beyond the ordinary resulting in contribution to the greater Oneonta community for her leadership in athletics.