St. John's University has shuffled its athletic department leadership, with Bob Alpers, the current assistant athletic director, replacing Tom Stock on July 1. Stock, who has been SJU's athletic director for 10 years, will move to a position as a senior development officer in the school's Office of Institutional Advancement while also continuing to serve as the director of athletic marketing.
Alpers is also the head golf coach at St. John's, and will continue in that role after becoming the AD. He has served as assistant AD at St. John's the past eight years, and will become the sixth athletic director at the school since 1931.
Alpers in 23 seasons as golf coach has led the Johnnies to 10 MIAC titles and 14 NCAA appearances, including back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008. SJU has finished in the top 10 at the national tournament 11 of the 14 appearances. His program has produced 29 All-Americans and 27 GCAA Scholar All-Americans since 2000.
Alpers, a 1982 St. John's graduate, was MVP of the basketball team in the 1981-82 season.
"Bob Alpers comes to the role of athletic director exceptionally well prepared," St. John's president Michael Hemesath said in a statement. "He was a great student-athlete, a great assistant coach, a nationally recognized head coach and an experienced department administrator. I have complete faith that he will continue to offer the superb leadership that our department is known for around the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the country."
