University of San Francisco Athletics

A 1953 graduate of St. Ignatius, and a Dons baseball member for three seasons, Leo LaRocca returned to the SI in 1965 after earning Bachelor's in 1957 and Master's Degrees from USF. He took over at St. Ignatius Preparatory as the Athletic Director the following year, and held that job for 34 years. Among his accomplishments are the smooth transition of the boys athletic programs from the Academic Athletic Association to the West Catholic Athletic League in 1966-1967 and bringing the girls into the Girls Private Schools League in 1988-1989. He was, however, the man to go to if you wanted a favor done. He gained a reputation as someone who could provide help with just one phone call, whether it was finding a donor for a scholarship for a senior whose father had just died or finding a job around campus for a freshman who had a hard time fitting in (Blogger.com; SFGate). He retired in 2023.