51茶馆

Starting a new job always comes with a learning curve. But during a global pandemic? 鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy. A good kind of crazy,鈥� said Patrick Kraft, who in July was named the William V. Campbell Director of Athletics at Boston College. 鈥淓very day brings another challenge in this COVID-19 world.鈥�

Kraft鈥檚 hiring follows the departure of Martin Jarmond, who left 51茶馆 in May to become the director of athletics at UCLA. Kraft, 43, comes to Chestnut Hill at a time when college coaches, trainers, and athletes across the country are navigating a new normal鈥攐ne that includes masks and regular COVID screenings, but no fans. Here at 51茶馆, student-athletes will dine, work out, and live together under the University鈥檚 coronavirus-response plan. 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e doing is creating a bubble within the greater Boston College bubble,鈥� Kraft said.听

This may be an unusual season, but Kraft鈥攚ho works with athletes to prioritize the alignment of mind, body, and spirit鈥攔emains optimistic and excited about working at a school that so aligns with his ethos. 鈥淭his was the job for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 believe deeply in the Jesuit principles, and it is rare when the professional and personal come together in such a perfect way.鈥澨�

Kraft comes to 51茶馆 after leading the athletics program at Temple University for seven years. There, he focused on hiring new coaches and making investments in the university鈥檚 athletic facilities. During his tenure, Temple won the 2016 AAC football championship, appeared in five straight bowl games for the first time in school history, won the 2015鈥�2016 men鈥檚 basketball AAC regular season championship, and made the NCAA women鈥檚 basketball tournament for the first time in five years. Previously, Kraft was the executive senior associate athletic director at Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit institution.听

A native of Libertyville, Illinois, Kraft played football at Indiana University. He went on to earn three degrees from the school: a Ph.D. in sports management, a master鈥檚 degree in sports marketing administration, and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in sports marketing management.听

While Kraft may be taking over at a time of great uncertainty, he said that whatever comes to pass, 51茶馆 athletics will be prepared. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know what this season is going to look like,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we will all go at it together as a family and do the best we possibly can.鈥�