Julio Barroso Hired to GNAC Staff on Division III Ethnic Minority and Women's Grant

Former Mount Ida men's soccer student-athlete Julio Barroso has been appointed to the position of GNAC Assistant to the Commissioner, as announced by Commissioner Walsh on Tuesday.

June 23, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former GNAC student-athlete
added to staff on D3 Ethnic Minority Grant

WINTHROP, Mass. – Former Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's soccer student-athlete Julio Barroso has been appointed to the position of GNAC Assistant to the Commissioner, as announced by longtime Commissioner Joe Walsh on Tuesday morning.

The hiring is fully supported through the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority and Women's Grant, a program that provides funding for entry-level administrative positions at NCAA Division III schools and conference offices.

Barroso, a Central Falls, R.I. native, was in his junior year at former GNAC member Mount Ida College back in Spring 2018, when the institution ceased operations and suddenly closed its doors.

The soccer standout completed his undergraduate education at UMass Amherst, receiving his Bachelor of Science in Sport Management in May 2019. He is currently enrolled at GNAC member Lasell University to acquire his Master's in Sport Management with a Concentration in Athletic Administration.

"I am thrilled to add Julio to the conference office staff and once again I'm grateful for the grant opportunities that the Division III staff provides," said Walsh. "He will be a great fit for our member constituents and already has vast knowledge and familiarity within the GNAC."

Barroso was both a peer mentor and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) member on campus at Mount Ida, and also helped assist with the 2019 GNAC SAAC Spring Forum in Boston. He has also served as a tutor and youth coach for Project GOAL, which provides academic enrichment using soccer as an incentive towards increased academic performance and an overall support for success across the state of Rhode Island.

"I am very honored to be working with the GNAC again," said Barroso. "As a former student at Mount Ida, I was always proud to represent my school and my conference to the best of my ability. Having the unique experience of participating in national SAAC events for the GNAC in the past have allowed me to gain an appreciation for all of the hard work and time that the staff puts in to make sure all of the league's events run smoothly."

On the field for the Mustangs, Barroso appeared in 44 career games, totaling three goals and an assist for seven points in his three seasons at Mount Ida.

In the new role at the league level, Barroso will be responsible for special projects under Commissioner Walsh, as well as various strategic communications initiatives alongside Assistant Commissioner Michael Ghika. His responsibilities will also include the organization of the GNAC's ongoing SAAC efforts, such as communicating with the incoming members of the 2020-21 GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council.

A two-year internship opportunity, the 2020-22 grant cycle marks the fifth time the GNAC has applied for and been granted the D3 Ethnic Minority and Women's Grant.

Past interns on the same grant include Vaughn Calhoun, Ed.D., who is the Director of Business programs and Assistant Professor at Becker; Jessica Huntley, the founding commissioner of the D-III Atlantic East Conference; Doug Chin, the Commonwealth Coast Conference Associate Commissioner; Rebecca Mullen, formerly the New England Collegiate Conference Assistant Commissioner; and Annie Jenkins, UMass Lowell Assistant Director of Athletic Business Operations.

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.

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