Wilkes’ new athletic director has been acclimating himself to the university since arriving in July, but there is one thing the Notre Dame alumnus has yet to be able to do.
“My favorite thing to do as an athletic director is going to games and watching our student-athletes compete, so I have not had that opportunity yet,” said Scott Musa. “I look forward to the seasons getting started and seeing our teams in action.”
Following the retirement of Addy Maletasta, Wilkes’ longtime athletic director, the university appointed Musa, who took over the position in July. The change comes as the university transitions from the Middle Atlantic Conference to the Landmark Conference. The Landmark Conference was formed in 2005 and began competition in fall of 2007, according to its website. It is composed of a “group of like-minded institutions from the mid-Atlantic region…that recognizes, as paramount, the centrality of the academic mission at each institution, while embracing the idea that athletics competition is an important component of the undergraduate experience.
Musa comes to Wilkes following a lengthy career at Shenandoah University, a Division III institution and member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The 2022-23 academic year represented Musa’s 31st at Shenandoah. He most recently served as associate athletic director and athletic communications director. In this role, he led the publicity for all of the Hornets 22 intercollegiate teams and the athletic website. Musa also had supervisory responsibility over 11 athletic programs.
“Scott is a seasoned athletic administrator whose experience, high level of enthusiasm and creative energy is a great fit to help shape the future of our athletic program as we move into a new conference,” said Wilkes Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Mark Allen in a press release. “The University is certainly grateful for the growth of Wilkes Athletics under the leadership of Addy Malatesta over the years and look forward to continued success as Scott begins his tenure.”
Under Malatesta, the Wilkes Athletic program grew to 23 varsity teams and more than 600 student athletes. Maltesta also took part in the original renovation of Ralston field.
Musa graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in 1992, where he played lacrosse for four years. Since then, he has been a member of the Virginia State Sports Information Directors Association and the College Sports Communicators. From 2007 to 2011, he presided over the organization as its president.
In August 2019, Musa served as the Division III Sports Information Directors Association’s second vice president. During the 2021–2022 academic year, he served as the association’s president.
“I have long wanted to become an athletic director but I was very particular as to what I was looking for in a school,” Musa said. “Wilkes fits the bill perfectly–it is Division III, located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is strong academically.”
Musa has many plans to achieve success at Wilkes and all of that starts with trusting the people around him. He plans to lean on the students and learn from them.
“I am excited to work with the coaches to provide the student-athletes with the best possible experience,” he said. “One of the great things about Division III is that the students compete for the love of the game, and I believe it is our responsibility to put them in the strongest possible position when they are out there on the playing surface.”
In order to achieve success, Musa wants his student-athletes to enjoy their time in the classroom, the playing fields, in the community and he wants each and every student to graduate. Wilkes University is Division III but the main goal of the sports teams is to enjoy the experiences and have fun.
This summer, Ralston Field and the Marts Center were renovated. Musa said he is “very pleased” with the makeovers.
“I am very pleased with the renovations at both Schmidt Stadium and Marts center,” he explained. “The new turf is going to be an outstanding surface for our field hockey, football and lacrosse teams to play on, along with the new floor/bleachers in Marts that do the same for the basketball, volleyball and wrestling programs. All nine of those teams have home facilities that are among the best in Division III.”
Musa is no stranger to renovations. He was part of Shenandoah University’s upgrades to the baseball, softball and lacrosse/field hockey stadiums. He helped raise more than $25 million for the sports programs.
“One of things I like most about my job is that it changes from day-to-day and that I have the opportunity to interact with numerous people across campus as we move the athletic department forward,” he said. “That is a rewarding aspect to the job.”