Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, OFM, president of Mount Saint Mary College and chair of the Skyline Conference Presidents Council has announced that Linda M. Bruno has been selected as the conference’s second full-time commissioner. A respected administrator with more than 25 years of experience at the conference level, Bruno will assume her duties on January 3, 2011.
“Throughout our national search process, Linda Bruno emerged as the clear choice to lead the Skyline Conference to new heights,” said Fr. Mackin. “Linda’s experience in building and strengthening conferences will be an asset in moving the Skyline Conference forward.”
Bruno served as commissioner of the Division I Atlantic 10 Conference for 14 years. During her tenure, she strengthened the Atlantic 10's membership with the additions of Charlotte, Dayton, Fordham, La Salle, Richmond, and Saint Louis; negotiated two television contracts with ESPN - the most lucrative and extensive packages in league history; was among the first to sign a contract with College Sports Television; added women's rowing, men's and women's outdoor track & field, and women's lacrosse to the conference's championship slate; and created officiating bureaus for baseball, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball to better serve those Atlantic 10 programs.
She also headed the Atlantic 10 as it evolved into one of the prominent basketball conferences in the country. Since 1994-95, the league has earned multiple berths to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament 11 times, including five bids in 1996-97 and 1997-98. Bruno also was responsible for securing the 2001 (regional) and 2006 (first and second rounds) NCAA Men's Basketball Tournaments to Philadelphia, and the highly successful 2007 A-10 Men's Basketball Championship at Boardwalk Hall marked the first of a two-year association with the Atlantic City (N.J.) Convention & Visitors Authority.
Prior to joining the Atlantic 10, Bruno served as associate commissioner to Dave Gavitt during that conference’s meteoric rise through the 1980s. Most recently, she has served as a consultant in intercollegiate athletics as well as an instructor at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
Bruno, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iona College, was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.
Bruno replaces Tracy King who accepted a position in public education after serving as the conference’s first full-time commissioner since July 2005.
“At the same time we welcome Linda to the conference, I want to thank Tracy on behalf of the Presidents Council for his service and commitment to the conference and our student athletes,” said Fr. Mackin.