The Fredonia State Athletic Department elevated Angela Pucciarelli Rice, left, and Patrick Gondek, right, to direct the department in the interim due to the departure of former Athletic Director Jerry Fisk. Photo courtesy of Fredonia State Athletics

With the departure of former Athletic Director Jerry Fisk, the Fredonia State Athletic Department has elevated Angela Pucciarelli Rice and Patrick Gondek to direct the department in the interim.

“We are excited for the opportunity to serve as interim co-directors of athletics and would like to thank Vice President Dr. Tracy Stenger for her confidence in us, as we bridge the leadership transition until a new director is selected,” said Pucciarelli Rice.

A 2009 Fredonia State grad, Pucciarelli Rice has served as the Assistant A.D. with compliance oversight, and Senior Woman Administrator since the Fall of 2018. She was a member of the women’s basketball team for two seasons. Prior to that, she played two seasons at Jamestown Community College and is a Fredonia High School grad.

Pucciarelli Rice has a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Medaille College, earning magna cum laude in May 2013. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Fredonia State, attained in May 2009, and an Associate in Science in Business Administration from Jamestown Community College, attained in May 2007. She is currently working on her doctorate of Philosophy in Organizational Learning and Leadership at Gannon University.

During her time as a student-athlete in the sport of women’s basketball at both JCC and Fredonia State, Pucciarelli Rice combined for over 1,000 career points and earned NJCAA Academic All-American status at JCC as well as athletic all-conference awards at both schools. She served on the Fredonia State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

An active member of the campus and local communities, Pucciarelli Rice has been a past member of the Board of Directors for the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, Chautauqua County Youth Bureau, and the Young Professionals of Northern Chautauqua County, and currently part of a number of campus committees and initiatives. She is involved professionally with Women Leaders in Sports, National Association for Athletics Compliance, and the NCAA Senior Woman Administrators Program. In addition to her obligations in the Department of Athletics, Pucciarelli Rice also teaches as an adjunct instructor on campus in the Department of Sport Management.

This fall, Gondek will enter his 25th season coaching the men’s soccer team at Fredonia State. He was promoted to the dual role of Assistant Athletic Director in the Fall of 2018, primarily focused on budget and purchasing.

“Fredonia State has great leadership in our coaches and administrative staff, and we look forward to working collaboratively with the campus and local community as we prepare our student-athletes and teams for an exciting 2024-2025 academic and athletic year,” said Gondek.

From a coaching perspective, Gondek’s 204 wins rank No.1 in school history. Post-season play includes two trips to the NCAA tournament, three to the ECAC tournament, and nine SUNYAC playoff appearances, including eight conference semifinals. His 2005 team advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight which is the third-best season in school history. The 2007 team was crowned SUNYAC champions and Gondek was named SUNYAC Coach of the Year.

Gondek played collegiately at Cortland State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1993. After coaching at the high school level for three years, he returned to his alma mater to pursue a Master’s Degree in Physical Education in 1998, and subsequently began his collegiate coaching career at Cortland in the spring of 1999. He then moved on to Plattsburgh State in a similar position in the fall of 1999 and helped the team to a SUNYAC championship and a trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament. In the fall of 2000, he took on the head coaching position at Fredonia State. Gondek also serves as technical director for the Northern Chautauqua Soccer Association and teaches classes in the Fredonia State Department of Sport Management and Exercise Science.