Billy Mecca, of North Haven, has worn many hats over his 45 years with Quinnipiac University athletics.
Mecca, who is in his 25th year as senior associate athletic director, has served as an assistant men’s basketball coach, head men’s tennis coach, assistant director of athletics, head men’s basketball coach and interim athletic director.
He’s also had a front-row seat to witness the university’s growth “from a small local college to a national-recognized university.”
“It was during that time, whether I realized it or not, that a community was formed with grace, shared vision and hard work,” Mecca said. “That Quinnipiac community has taught me to cherish each day, our loved ones, our colleagues, little things like a beautiful sunrise and big things like overcoming a hard-fought obstacle.
“I’ve learned to appreciate what’s good and not take others or things for granted and most importantly I learned how to be kind,” he added. “I’m humbled, honored and blessed after all these years to have played a small role in what makes Quinnipiac such a special place to be.”
Mecca was the longest-tenured faculty or staff member honored at Quinnipiac’s end-of-year employee recognition celebration on May 16. The others were:
10 YEARS
Lisa Adriani, Abayomi Akanji, Susan Bass, Elizabeth Bender, Barbara Bergen, Elena Bertozzi, Jill Bowens, Jason Burke, Lynn Byers, Antoinetta Carmody, David Carrillo, Gabby Ceccolini, Edward Cucchiarelli, Susan D’Agostino, J. Nathan Davis, Alexandre de Lencastre, Della Degnan, James DeLucia, Linda Durhan, Ruby ElKharboutly, Meg Elliott, Camber Farone, Richard Feinn, Robert Fischetti, Victor Francone, Julia Fullick-Jagiela, Joseph Gaspar, Anna Gilmore, Ann Marie Godbout, Peggy Gray, John Greenleaf, Lorence Gutterman, Sylvie Hangen, Hanna Hejmowski, Mary Ho, James Hudson, Stephanie Hunter, Stephanie Jacobson, Kiku Jones, Robert Joven, Corey Kiassat, Sungah Kim, Christine Kinealy, Kasia Koziol-Dube, Regina Leonard, Rachel Lerner, Cher Lin, Donna Lougal, El Marrone, Carleta Maurice, Emily McCave, James McDonald, Stephen McGuinn, Martine Mirrione, Amy Molina, Tina Monteiro, Laura Mutrie, James Noble, Ryann Nocereto, Ryan O’Neill, Timothy O’Sullivan, Kerry Patton, Christina Pavlak, Marci Porter, Sandra Preneta, Claire Puzarne, Susan Rand, Nicholas Robinette, Mara Saccente, Justin Schussler, Ruth Schwartz, Susan Scoopo, David Stilwell, Valerie Strange, Charlotta Taylor, Colleen Thompson, Judy Thompson, Lynn Tommasini, Wilson Vientos, Robert White, Matthew Wilcox, Molly Yanity and Robert Yawson.
15 YEARS
Lisa Anderson, Susan Baker, Kevin Barry, William Buick, Carmen Carranza, Peter Cassella, Robert Davis, Leonard Dwarica, Gina Falcigno, Steven Farrel, Herb Fisher, Hilary Fussell Sisco, Melissa Gibbons, Kent Golden, Ronald Grube, Lori Landino, Patrick Lapadula, Alexander Laskin, Edward Laudano, Kevin MacDougall, Julia O’Connor, Rita Pacheco, Mary Paddock, Angela Palumbo, Erica Papa, Brijesh Patel, Colleen Peruta, Danielle Pomponi, Maria Rodrigues, Erin Sabato, Marc Saddig, Valerie Schlesinger, Brian Schwartz, Rhonda Schwartz, Betsey Smith, Antonietta Sorrentino, David Terfera, Mark Tortora, Cassandra Turner, Jana Ugolik, Celeste Valentino, George Wooster and Nicholas Wormley.
20 YEARS
Christopher Ball, Stacey Bjornberg, Lidia Bras, Richard Brownell, Lisa Burns, Shelley Candler, Alicia Cimino, Barbara Cofrances-Nana, Zina Crescenzi, Salvatore D’Angelo, Margarita Diaz, Cherie Finoia, Lauren Gattilia, Maria Gould, Laurie Grace, Heather Hamilton, Robert Henry, David Herndon, Kathleen Johnson, Brian Jones, Lisa Jones, Melissa Kaplan-Charkow, Angela Mattie, Patricia Norberg, Lisa O’Connor, Carl Pelletier, Teresa Pires, Tami Reilly, Florencia Rodriguez, Patricia Rondini, Mike Schleif, David Scrivines, Jill Shahverdian, Don Therkildsen, Bill Toth, Mark Varholak, Angela Walker, Jill Wurcel and Mary Zaffino.
25 YEARS
Robert Bogdanoff, Bernard Clark, Dawn Colomb-Lippa, Patricia Comitini, Sean Duffy, Barbara Harder, Boyd Johnson, Aniana Landino, Dominic Landolfi, Paula Miller, Teresa Tai, Amy Terry and Tracy Van Oss.
30 YEARS
John Copela, Hepsie Leslie-Abbott, Linda Meyer, Creighton Myers, John Pavia, Martha Sanders, Mark Soboslai, Susan Ticotsky and Frank Torelli.
35 YEARS
Steven Carleton, Mary Ellen Lomax-Bellare, Lucille Marottolo, Anna Spragg, W. John Thomas and Robert Young.
40 YEARS
William Dunlap and Roseanna Tufano.
45 YEARS
Mecca.
RETIREES
Greg Bodner, Carmen Carranza, William Dallas, Timothy Dansdill, Mariana Dias, Donna Diaz, Meg Elliott, Robert Engle, Robert Farrell, William Fragola, Judy Gedge, Margaret Gray, Charlotte Hammond, Richard Hanley, Eileen Hermann, Brian Jones, Beth Larkins-Strathy, Becca Main Kohli, John Martin, Alexander Meiklejohn, Fred Melillo, Linda Meyer, Michelle Miller, Sheila Molony, Terry O’Donnell, Gary Pandolfi, Robert Rathbun, Anthony Romano, Vincent Romano, Debra Rubino, Farid Sadrieh, Mary Schramm, Nellie Scoble, Joseph Simone, Betsey Smith and Jill Wurcel.