Manchester Mayor Heading back To UB To Lead Athletic Program

MANCHESTER, CT — The University of Bridgeport Thursday announced that Manchester's Jay Moran will be rejoining the Purple Knights as vice president of athletics.

Moran, who also hails as the mayor of Manchester, recently stepped down as the athletic director at Southern Connecticut State University. UB officials Thursday touted him as, "a highly respected member of the intercollegiate athletic community."

Moran previously served as the AD at Bridgeport from 2004 until 2014. He will "assist in an advisory capacity" beginning immediately and officially begin his new role on July 1, university officials said.

"I'm excited to go back to the UB family," Moran told Patch. "We rebuilt the athletic program back in 2004 and I’m excited to re-energize the department again."

Moran rejoins the Purple Knights as UB prepares for its future as an independent institution under the umbrella of Goodwin University, pending approval of regulatory agencies and accreditors.

"After a difficult year when athletics were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Goodwin University and the University of Bridgeport have made a commitment to ensuring the legacy of the Purple Knights athletic program continues," the announcement said.

Added Goodwin president Mark Scheinberg, "We are thrilled to bring Jay on board at this pivotal time for collegiate athletics and the University of Bridgeport. "We are committed to hiring the best talent across every discipline, including athletics, to ensure UB's success in the future. Jay is extremely well-respected as a leader with more than three decades of experience in collegiate athletics. I can't wait for him to join the team full time."

Moran served as Southern's AD from August 2014 until December 2020. During his time at SCSU, the Owls competed in multiple NCAA tournaments and won two national titles. SCSU regularly won Northeast 10 Conference individual and team titles, and the department set records for the number of athletes selected to the NE10 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.

Moran currently serves as chair of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Board of Directors and is past-president of the East Coast Conference Athletic Directors Council. He most recently served as the vice chair of Northeast 10 Conference Athletic Directors Council and helped to write the NE10 2019-2024 Strategic Plan. He is a past member of NCAA DII Northeast Regional Committee for baseball and basketball.

He has been Manchester's mayor since April 2014.

"Welcoming Jay back to the University of Bridgeport is a clear signal to our student-athletes, our coaching staff and the entire UB community that we are committed to athletics on our campus," UB Interim President Stephen Healey said. "In his first stint here, Jay was not only responsible for turning our athletics programs around, he was also a beloved member of our campus community known for his ability to forge relationships with both coaches and student athletes."

Moran welcomed wearing purple again.

"During my time at the University of Bridgeport I experienced some of the most meaningful professional accomplishments of my career. I am honored to have the opportunity to rejoin the Purple Knights at such an exciting time for the university," he said. "This has been an unprecedented year in collegiate athletics, and I look forward to getting back to campus and helping our student athletes safely return to the gym, field and court and working with our coaches and athletic staff to ensure the success of the Purple Knights for years to come."