Tom Albano began his tenure at Purdue University Northwest in January of 2010. As the Senior Associate Athletic Director at PNW he serves in a variety of roles as a senior leader and adviser within the athletics department for the university.
Albano is the chief compliance officer presiding over all aspects of NCAA Compliance and played an instrumental role in transitioning PNW to an NCAA Division II school. Albano supervises six of the school’s intercollegiate sports (Baseball, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Golf and Men’s and Women’s Tennis). He also leads the successful Chancellor’s Invitational Golf Outing, one of the major annual fundraising events that contributes directly to student-athlete scholarships.
Additionally, Albano serves on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee contributing to the university’s development of a new strategic plan dubbed, “Excellence Evolving” as well as the Strategic Implementation and Action Committee that is charged to develop action plans and metrics for the implementation of the strategic plan. He chairs PNW’s Compliance Committee and is an active member of the Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee (IAAC) at PNW.
Externally, Albano is an NCAA Division II Baseball Regional Advisory Committee Member for the Midwest and is on the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) committees for the Constitution and Bylaws, Eligibility and Infractions as well as Student-Athlete Welfare.
Albano has a diverse background and has served in a variety of capacities around the university since he began his career. Prior to being promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director and leading up to the school’s unification with the Hammond campus, Albano served as the Athletic Director at the university’s Westville campus from 2013 to 2016.
The homegrown, first-generation product has also spent significant time in Advancement, Alumni Relations, Sports Information and Student Life. He additionally served on the university’s planning and development committee for the construction of the Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex (DSSAC), a $34 million project on the university’s Westville campus. He also worked with Indiana Disc Golf Hall of Famer, Allen Pier, to design and unveil a widely popular 18-hole disc golf course carved out of Westville’s sprawling landscape.
Around the community, Albano has enjoyed being a past participant of the United Way’sLoaned Executive program for their Annual Campaign as well as Leadership Northwest Indiana (Class 32). He has also participated as a university partner of the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association, supporting efforts to raise awareness and funding via various community events and walks throughout the years. Most of all, Albano enjoys volunteering with the local YMCA and Little League as a youth coach.
As a student, Albano was a four-year standout athlete on the PNW baseball team where he was named All-American Honorable Mention and the program’s Athlete of the Year during his junior season (2007). He was also the program's all-time wins and saves leader during his time and was known for his submarine style of pitching.
As a relatively unknown freshman Albano earned the closing job midway through his freshman year and never looked back posting E.R.A.’s to the tune of 2.33 (2005), 1.66 (2006), 1.88 (a perfect 0.00 during the 2007 regular season) and 3.81 (appearing in a whopping 27 games in 2008) across each of his four seasons.
For his career he averaged one strikeout per inning and opponents hit just over .200 against him. After his senior season, Albano was invited to spring training with the Gary SouthShore Railcats. In 2012, he was inducted into Purdue Northwest’s Athletic Hall-of-Fame.
