Rivier has named Anna Maria's Joseph Brady as its new athletic director, replacing Jonathan Harper, who left to take an athletic administrative job at Saint Anselm College. (Photo courtesy ofr Rivier University)

NASHUA – Rivier has found its new athletics leader.

The University announced on Tuesday it has named Anna Maria athletic director Joseph Brady as the school’s new director of athletics.

Brady spent six years growing the athletic program at his alma mater Anna Maria, a fellow Great Northeast Athletic Conference school located in Paxton, Mass. Before that, he was an associate AD at Clark University in the Worcester, Mass. area, as well as sports information director and head women’s soccer coach.

But the fact he’s been at a GNAC school and knows the conference well was a big factor in his hiring, school officials say. He replaces Jonathan Harper, who left last month after a three-year stint to take an associate AD role at Saint Anselm College.

“Joseph brings a deep understanding of collegiate athletics, including the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, and a clear vision for the future of our programs,” said Sister Paula Marie Buley, IHM, President of Rivier University, in a release issued by the school. “He will be a strong leader for our athletics staff and student-athletes as they continue to build on the momentum of Raiders athletics heading into the 2025-26 academic year.”

At Anna Maria, Brady helped grow the athletic department, which now has 13 NCAA Divsion III varsity programs, as well as launching the college’s esports program, plus expanding club sports and developing JV programs for football, basketball and baseball.

Brady, who navigated the AMCATS through the pitfalls of COVID-19, also was said to have enhanced fundraising for athletics at Anna Maria, organizing a golf tournament, etc. He also introduced technological advances for the department, plus oversaw the induction of three new classes to the Anna Maria Hall of Fame.

He also has been active in the GNAC, as he is on the GNAC Athletic Directors Council plus has been the chairman of the conference’s baseball committee. Plus, he worked to get Anna Maria hockey (as well as football, which Rivier does not have) into the MASCAC, which Harper and the coaches did for Rivier.

“What appealed to me were a couple of things,” Brady said when reached on Tuesday. “Jonathan’s become a good friend, and he’s built a great foundation with unbelievable momentum, and this was an opportunity for me to take not just the six years from Anna Maria but the other experiences from Clark and bring it to Rivier.

“And I’m excited to continue the relationships in the GNAC as well.”

Brady said prior to his interview he and his daughter drove around the Rivier campus, “and we loved it.”

“What they’ve done the last few years, the facilities, not just athletic, it’s primed to really have a lot of success in the GNAC,” he said. “The coaches need tools, and they’ve got them there. I’m hoping I can just continue to support them to continue the trajectory.

“You’ve got a team (men’s lacrosse) winning a conference championship, another (softball) hosts a pod, and almost every other team is in the tournament. And I think everyone in New England including myself was following the four-overtime final (in the MASCAC) for women’s hockey (which Rivier lost to Plymouth State at PSU).”

Before delving into the world of athletic administration, Brady was a successful women’s soccer coach at Clark, as he was the winningest coach in program history. He led the Cougars to eight appearances in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) postseason.

Brady knows a few of the Raider coaches, but not all. But he certainly knows what they’ve all done in the last couple of years. “It’s a special group that Jonathan’s put together,” he said. “That also attracted me that ‘This is the right place.’ This is the right time, the right place, to do the next thing.”

He is slated to officially begin on August 4, but Brady will likely be around before then to familiarize himself with the school.

“It’s the perfect opportunity at the perfect time to take on a new challenge,” he said. “And I can’t wait.”