BROOKLYN, N.Y. — From taking the Men’s Water Polo team to the College’s first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Four, planning a swim meet for the city catholic school championships or teaching the College’s students how to swim, Carl Quigley ’75 always poured his heart and soul into making St. Francis College a better place. Now 43 years into his journey at St. Francis, he is retiring from his position as Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Aquatics.
Quigley’s long time association with the Terriers began in 1971 as a freshman swimmer and men’s water polo player. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology in 1975 and is a member of the prestigious Duns Scotus Honor society.
“It has been my honor to serve the students, student-athletes and their families here at St. Francis College,” said Quigley. “It has also been my privilege to be part of the St. Francis College team, as a member of the administration and faculty. This collegiate family opened opportunities for me and welcomed me with their renowned Franciscan hospitality. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve at this vital institution.”
Over the last 43 years, Quigley has helped launch the careers of hundreds of young athletes, both with the Terriers and through Brooklyn Heights St. Francis Water Polo (BHSF), the successor to the youth club he founded in 1979. Under his guidance, the club has been incredibly successful when it comes to providing countless children with the opportunity to play water polo at local, state (Empire State Games) and Olympic competitions. Carl himself participated at the Empire State Games as a player, coach and State Chairman from 1985-2002.
The spirit of “paying it forward,” as Quigley described it, is true to the college’s Franciscan tradition. In turn, the sport has expanded from the college’s Brooklyn Heights location to Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan and beyond.
“It’s important that we have this entity, St. Francis College, that’s growing water polo and the swimming communities in multiple ways; by sharing the pool and renting it to other [programs], and then in turn growing the aquatic sports past the borders of Brooklyn into Manhattan and beyond,” he said.
Upon graduating from St Francis College in 1975, Quigley was hired as head men’s water polo’s coach by Athletic Director Dan Lynch Sr. and Dean of Students John Clifford. He continued his education at Long Island University where he received his MS degree in Adapted Physical Education and Rehabilitation with a concentration in Developmental Disabilities in 1979 under the mentorship of Mr. Eugene Spatz.
In 1991, for his accomplishments as a swimmer, water polo player and coach, St. Francis College inducted Quigley into the College’s Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was hired as Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Aquatics. His responsibilities have included overseeing the men’s and women’s water polo team and daily operations of the pool. Among his accolades, Carl was named “Educator of the Year” by the Brooklyn Heights Enrichment Program. Carl served as the President of the Collegiate Water Polo Association Board of Directors from 2001-2002.
As a coach, the men’s water polo team won six Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Northern Division Championships and five ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Association) Championships. The team also advanced to the NCAA National Championship Final Four in 2005 for the first time in program history under his tutelage.
Quigley coached 17 All America selections and the men’s water polo team led the nation academically, sporting the highest GPA among men’s water polo teams four times from 2000-2007. Of note, two members of those squads, Tamas Bakacs and Gergely Fabian, won the prestigious NCAA Post-graduate Scholarship award. Lastly, two of his student-athletes were selected SFC Graduation day valedictorians, Tamas Bakacs in 2000 and Andrija Vrdoljak in 2006.
Administratively, he served on the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship and Rules Committee from 2002-2006 and participated on the Northeast Conference Game Management and Northeast Conference Swimming Committees. Quigley has also served as an adjunct professor at the College, teaching countless students to swim and overcome their fear of the water.
In addition to his valuable role as student-athlete recruiter, Quigley has been a goodwill ambassador for St. Francis College as he’s coordinated the use of the College’s pool to some forty community groups that include CHSAA, PSAL, and CYO swim teams. Local summer camps and special groups like the Brooklyn Special Olympics, the Young Adult Institute, the American Red Cross, and Wounded Warriors have also been welcomed at the SFC Pool.
The Belle Harbor native has also organized numerous clinics for the SFC and local community, bringing celebrated Olympians such as Dara Torres, Wolf Wigo and Sarah Fredrika Sjöström to Remsen Street.
“Carl Quigley’s passion for our students, commitment to this College, and spirit for success represents what St. Francis College is about,” stated St. Francis College President, Miguel Martinez-Saenz.
“From the time I met Carl, I was able to envision the history he has been a part of and the countless number of students he has seen walk through these doors and across the commencement stage as members of the St. Francis College community. His desire to see this institution, our students, and our community succeed will not be lost upon us.”
Director of Athletics Irma Garcia ’80 knows Carl well.
“Carl has been a member of my senior staff for nearly 11 years. For as long as I have known St. Francis College, I have known Carl. The passion he has for the individuals within this institution, from staff to students, has been a driving force for so many Terriers who have walked in and out of these doors.”
“Carl is synonymous with St. Francis. For our values, our traditions, our history and our commitment to others. His motivation, which allowed our students to bring out the best in themselves, and others, is part of a much larger legacy that he will leave behind. The countless numbers of families Carl has brought into this institution, from students to parents, has never gone unnoticed. His ability to embrace anyone, from any background or culture, and unify them within this home on Remsen Street is something that each one of us can embrace as this institution continues to grow and make an impact on the world.”
“For all Carl has done here at St. Francis College, I thank him, his wife Chris and his family. This institution is, and always will be, his family,” added Garcia.
St. Francis College has been a family affair in more ways than one as his wife Christabel, Ph.D ’75 is also a graduate of the College and currently works in District 22 as the Director of Early Childhood Education for the New York City Department of Education. The couple is blessed with two sons, Bryan – a graduate from the College in 2013 who currently works in the College’s Office of the Registrar, and Matthew who is an attorney working in Manhattan. The Quigley’s currently reside in the Rockaway Community, where they have been active members since 1979.
The Department of Athletics will begin an immediate national search for a new Director of Aquatics.
Release courtesy Saint Francis University Athletics Communications
