GLIAC -- Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Commissioner Kris Dunbar announced on Thursday that Tom Albano has been appointed as the league's Associate Commissioner for Championships and Internal Operations. 

“We are very fortunate to add an administrator of Tom’s caliber to the GLIAC staff,” said Dunbar. “His diverse background in and broad knowledge of college athletics, combined with his familiarity with our conference, makes him an ideal fit for this role. Maintaining high standards of governance, integrity and competitive excellence is essential to our conference’s identity. Tom brings a strong foundation in those areas and will be a tremendous asset to our leadership team.”

Albano replaces Michael Pierce, who had been with the GLIAC since January, 2023. Pierce was recently named the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, General Counsel at Idaho State University.

"I am thrilled to be joining the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in this capacity," said Albano. "I cannot wait to get started and am looking forward to working alongside a talented team and our fellow members to advance our mission and continue to serve our outstanding student-athletes. 

"I want to personally thank Kris Dunbar and Michael Pierce for giving me this incredible opportunity to work for the greatest conference within Division II."

Albano comes to the GLIAC after previously serving in a variety of leadership and advisory roles at Purdue University Northwest, most recently as the Senior Associate Athletic Director.

Albano was the chief compliance officer, presiding over all aspects of NCAA compliance, and played an instrumental role in transitioning PNW to an NCAA Division II school. Albano supervised six of the school’s intercollegiate sports (baseball, softball, men’s and women’s golf and men’s and women’s tennis). He also led the successful Chancellor’s Invitational Golf Outing, one of the major annual fundraising events that contributes directly to student-athlete scholarships. 

Additionally, Albano served on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee contributing to the university’s development of a new strategic plan. He chaired PNW’s Compliance Committee and was an active member of the Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee (IAAC) at PNW. 

Externally, Albano was an NCAA Division II Baseball Regional Advisory Committee Member for the Midwest and was on the GLIAC committees for the Constitution and Bylaws, Eligibility and Infractions as well as Student-Athlete Welfare. 

Albano served in a variety of capacities around the university since he began his career at PNW in January, 2010. Prior to being promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director and leading up to the school’s unification with the Hammond campus, Albano served as the Athletic Director at the university’s Westville campus from 2013 to 2016. 

The homegrown, first-generation product has also spent significant time in advancement, alumni relations, sports information and student life. He additionally served on the university’s planning and development committee for the construction of the Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex (DSSAC), a $34 million project on the university’s Westville campus. He also worked with Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Famer Allen Pier to design and unveil a widely popular 18-hole disc golf course carved out of Westville’s sprawling landscape.

Around the community, Albano has enjoyed being a past participant of the United Way’s Loaned Executive program for their Annual Campaign as well as Leadership Northwest Indiana (Class 32). He has also participated as a university partner of the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association, supporting efforts to raise awareness and funding via various community events and walks throughout the years. Most of all, Albano enjoys volunteering with the local YMCA and Little League as a youth coach. 

As a student, Albano was a four-year standout athlete on the PNW baseball team where he was named All-American Honorable Mention and the program’s Athlete of the Year during his junior season (2007). He was also the program's all-time wins and saves leader during his time and was known for his submarine style of pitching. 

As a relatively unknown freshman Albano earned the closing job midway through his freshman year and never looked back posting ERAs to the tune of 2.33 (2005), 1.66 (2006), 1.88 (a perfect 0.00 during the 2007 regular season) and 3.81 (appearing in 27 games in 2008) across each of his four seasons. 

For his career he averaged one strikeout per inning and opponents hit just over .200 against him. After his senior season, Albano was invited to spring training with the Gary SouthShore Railcats. In 2012, he was inducted into Purdue Northwest’s Athletic Hall of Fame.