JOHN ASHAOLU HIRED AS POINT PARK DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
PITTSBURGH – Point Park University is pleased to announce that John Ashaolu has been hired as its new Director of Athletics. Ashaolu has 14 years of experience in athletics, including the last seven as an athletic director.
"I am extremely excited about the hiring of John Ashaolu as the new Director of Athletics at Point Park University," said Keith Paylo, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students. "John brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position, and I look forward to him taking Point Park athletics to the next level.
"John will be charged with the responsibility of elevating Point Park athletics on both a regional and national level in all 17 sports that the university offers. I look forward to working closely with John to accomplish these goals."
Ashaolu comes to Point Park after serving as the Director of Athletics at the Community College of Allegheny County. There he served as the athletic director to all of the college's campuses and 16 athletic teams since January 2018.
"I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to be the Director of Athletics at Point Park University," said Ashaolu, a native of Toronto. "Point Park University is a preeminent institution in the region, and the university's continued investment in its athletics program illustrates the importance that athletics plays in the university's upward trajectory.
"I am excited to begin working with the athletics staff and the entire Point Park University community to provide our student-athletes and all students with the best possible experience we can. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Point Park University President Dr. Paul Hennigan, Senior Vice President Dr. John Pearson and Vice President Keith Paylo for their belief and confidence in me to lead the athletics department."
Ashaolu's leadership experience in college athletics includes serving as the Director of Athletics and Student Programs at the Community College of Beaver County from 2014-18. He also served as an adjunct professor at the school. Ashaolu's time at CCBC included doubling the number of NJCAA sports offered from three to six teams.
Other highlights during his time at CCBC include raising the student-athlete GPA to 3.13, placing 70 percent of the student-athletes on the Dean's List, overseeing a renovation of the fitness center and a Top-10 NJCAA national ranking for the men's basketball team.
Ashaolu was the Director of Athletics at Seton-La Salle High School in Pittsburgh from 2011-14. He also served as the girls' basketball head coach and transportation director for the school. Seton-La Salle won the Trib Total Media Cup for the best interscholastic athletic program in Western Pennsylvania during his time. There were two state championships, five WPIAL titles and 15 section championships with Ashaolu as athletic director.
His time in college athletics includes serving as the Director of Basketball Operations at East Carolina University from 2009-10, serving as the Assistant Director of Basketball Operations at Duquesne University from 2006-08 and serving as an assistant men's basketball coach at Trinity Valley (Texas) Community College from 2004-05.
Ashaolu was the Director of Operations for Basketball Stars of America in Pittsburgh from 2008-09. His experience on the prep level includes being the boys' basketball head coach and a physical education teacher at The Campus School of Carlow University from 2010-11 and serving as the boys' basketball associate head coach at Toronto Academy Prep from 2005-06.
Ashaolu played NCAA Division I basketball at University of New Orleans. His final two years of college basketball were played at Xavier (La.) University, an NAIA school in New Orleans. Ashaolu was a part of a Xavier team that reached the NAIA Division I national tournament his senior year of 2003-04.
Ashaolu holds a Master's Degree in Sports Leadership from Duquesne University and a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications-Public Relations from Xavier (La.) University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership-Higher Education from the American College of Education.