The man who helped UAA Athletics come of age, Ron Petro [1984-92] becomes the first athletic director and just the second administrator to gain induction to the Seawolf Hall of Fame.
Petro came to UAA after an 18-year career at Marist College, where he coached the basketball team and served as AD for seven years, spearheading the school’s move from Division III to Division I. He made an immediate impact on UAA’s program by securing a deal with ESPN to televise the Great Alaska Shootout.
Petro also spearheaded an aggressive fund-raising campaign that grew into the current Seawolf Corporate Sponsorship program, and worked to organize UAA’s individual sport booster clubs into the Seawolf Booster Club as an umbrella organization. A member of the NCAA Council from 1987-91, he was instrumental in securing UAA as host for the 1987 NCAA Skiing Championships, as well as NCAA playoff games in men’s and women’s basketball. Petro also fought for and won membership for UAA in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
Just as impressive were the Seawolves’ team accomplishments during his 8-year tenure – five NCAA Tournament appearances for men’s basketball, including the 1988 national title game; four NCAAs, eight straight winning seasons and the 1990 Northern Lights championship for women’s basketball; three straight NCAAs in hockey, including the 1991 Elite 8 squad; a pair of NCAAs and a league title in volleyball; and 22 skiing All-Americans.
After leaving UAA, Petro served 12 years as the AD at the University of Rhode Island, where he ran a 23-team Division I program. There, he oversaw the completion of the school’s new Ryan Center and Boss Ice Arena and helped found the URI Athletic Hall of Fame.
A former and current member of numerous civic organizations, Petro is currently Executive Director of the 2006 NCAA Women’s Final Four. The Yonkers, N.Y., native is also a member of the athletic hall of fame at Manhattan College, where he was a 3-year starter, 1,000- point scorer and team captain in basketball.
Petro and his wife Sally have four children – Michele, Brian, Kristen and Kerri – and currently reside in Brookline, Mass.
