COLUMN: Bunn energizes secondary

DiStanislao replaces Carolyn Schlie Femovich, who left Penn after 17 years with the University to become commissioner of the Patriot League this past summer. DiStanislao will serve as Penn's senior women's administrator. In her time at Penn, Femovich did much to improve the state of women's athletics at Penn. "Growing up, I spent my evenings with my family at the Palestra, so coming to Penn and its environment is very exciting and comfortable for me," DiStanislao said in statement released yesterday. "But more importantly, the University's philosophy, the quality of the student-athletes and the position Penn enjoys in the Ivy League are the reasons I am here. "I'm thrilled to be the newest member of the outstanding management team Steve Bilsky has built in the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics." DiStanislao brings a wealth of experience to the Athletic Department. From 1976 to 1980, she served as women's basketball coach at Northwestern, where she led the Wildcats to two Big Ten titles. After that, she moved on to Notre Dame, where she turned the Fighting Irish into a top-20 program and won three conference titles. After her coaching career, DiStanislao earned an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern and went on to work for several corporations. Most recently, she served as associate director of the MBA Career Management Program at the Wharton School. "We had some very talented applicants but Mary stood out because of the diversity she has had in her career," Bilsky said in the same statement. "She has the talent and sensitivity to relate well to coaches, staff and student-athletes and the confidence to manage our extensive intercollegiate program." DiStanislao will join the Athletic Department on September 27. -- Rick Haggerty

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