Mar 21, 2024 By Chris Dugan 3 min read

Trinity High School’s athletic facilities – from the new indoor Sports Performance Center to improvements at Hiller Field, the softball field and at the high school – are the envy of many school districts throughout the county, district and state.

The WPIAL has noticed what’s happening at Trinity. That is why it uses the Hillers’ gym and fields for many postseason events.

And people throughout the state have noticed Trinity’s athletic renaissance. That was confirmed recently when the Hillers’ Ricci Rich was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Director of the Year.

Rich, who is in his ninth year as Trinity’s AD, was in Hershey Thursday and received the award at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors convention.

“The state is divided into six regions and you can be nominated for the regional award,” Rich explained. “I was told that I’d be getting the regional award, which would make me a candidate for the state award. I had to send in a resume and bio, and I was happy with just the regional award. Then, a few months ago, I got a call and was told that they’d have to find another regional winner because I was getting the state award. I was stunned.”

Rich has been the point man for many of Trinity’s athletics projects and expanding sports programs. During his time as athletic director, Rich has seen Trinity add “six or seven” sports programs and open the Sports Performance Center last September.

“He also got a full-time sports performance coach hired,” Kathy McConnell-Miller, the Hillers’ girls basketball coach and assistant AD, was quick to say. “The only one who benefits from that is the student-athletes.

“Ricci is an innovative athletic director. He’s always looking to improve the athletic department with our student-athletes in mind.”

Trinity recently added girls golf, girls wrestling and unified bocce programs, bringing its number of sports programs to more than 20.

It has made Rich’s workload increase, and he admits sometimes he wonders how he can get it all done.

“That is the story of my life,” Rich said. “But I have a great support team with Kathy as assistant athletic director and Ryan Daloia as middle school athletics coordinator.”

Longtime fans of the Washington Wild Things might recall Rich as the team’s on-field MC for the Frontier League team’s first two seasons. He then became athletic director for two years at Brentwood before moving on to the same job at Moon for eight years. That led to his return to Washington and his alma mater, Trinity.

“Ricci is great. He’s one of the most incredible gentlemen I’ve worked with. I love being around him and his family. He makes going to work seem like it’s not a job. He makes it feel like I’m doing something I love to do.”