Robert James De Carolis (born ) is an American former athletics administrator and

softball Softball is a Variations of baseball, variation of baseball, the difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) ...

coach. He served as the

athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches a ...

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and a variety of graduate and doctor ...

from 2002 to 2015. He previously worked for the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

athletic department from 1979 to 1998 and as Oregon State's assistant athletic director from 1998 to 2002. He was also the head coach of the

Michigan Wolverines softball The Michigan Wolverines softball team represents the University of Michigan in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I (NCAA), Division I competition. College softball became a varsity sport at the University of Michigan in 1 ...

team from 1981 to 1984, compiling a four-year record of 144–81 ().

Early years

De Carolis received his undergraduate degree from Bloomsburg State in 1978. He began his career as a volunteer assistant football and softball coach at the

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is a public land-grant research university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system and was founded in 1863 as the ...

(1978–1979) while completing a master's degree in sport management.

University of Michigan

From 1979 to 1998, De Carolis spent 19 years working on the athletic department staff at the

. In October 1980, De Carolis was appointed as the second head coach of the

team, replacing Gloria Soluk. He had previously served as an assistant softball coach at both UMass and Michigan. De Carolis served four years as Michigan's head softball coach from 1981 to 1984, compiling a 144–81 record (). After the 1984 season, he was replaced as head softball coach by

Carol Hutchins Carol Sue Hutchins (born May 26, 1957) is an American former softball coach. In 38 years as the head coach of Michigan Wolverines softball, (1985–2022), she won more games than any other coach in University of Michigan history in any sport, ma ...

, who had been an assistant to De Carolis during the 1983 and 1984 seasons.

Oregon State

In 1998, De Carolis left Michigan to accept a position as the assistant athletic director at

. He remained in that post for four years. In August 2002, he was appointed as Oregon State's athletic director by then OSU President Dr. Paul Risser. He was credited with leading the largest fundraising campaign in the history of the Oregon State athletic department, raising funds for a project to expand

Reser Stadium Reser Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The home of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pac-12 Conference, it opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium and was renamed in 1999. ...

. In May 2006, De Carolis was given a five-year contract extension through 2011 as Oregon State's athletic director. In May 2011, he was given a further five-year extension through 2016. However, in June 2011, he was diagnosed with

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

. He decided to resign as athletic director in 2015. In 2009, De Carolis received the Harold J. VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award from

Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:De Carolis, Bob Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people) 1950s births Living people American softball coaches Michigan Wolverines softball coaches Oregon State Beavers athletic directors UMass Minutewomen softball coaches