Get to know Denny Jerome

By Leland March

At the start of the school year, Waldorf had a familiar face re-assume position as athletic director. Denny Jerome, the long time athletic director and former women’s basketball coach at Waldorf, is returning for his 45th year.

Jerome is from Celina, Ohio, and went to college at Waldorf University, Concordia Moorhead University in Minnesota and Northern Iowa University. Jerome was an athlete in college, and used his talents to play basketball and football during his collegiate career. “I played basketball, but football was my main sport,” Jerome said.

Jerome has been both an athletic director as well as a former coach at Waldorf. “I would say the most challenging thing about being the athletic director is the large staff that we have here on campus.”

Even though Jerome had held the title of athletic director before, he doesn’t plan much change to start the new year. “Well, I’ve only been here for about a week, but no, I don’t plan on making any immediate changes, I kind of just take in one week at a time,” Jerome said.

Jerome has spent over 40 years at Waldorf University with many highlighted accomplishments. If you are ever lucky enough to get a glance inside of his office, you would see all of the towering trophies and plaques that he and his previous teams have been awarded over the years. “I couldn’t choose a favorite moment here at Waldorf because there are so many, but if I had to choose, it would be the many great friendships I made along the way,” said Jerome. Jerome also mentioned that another of his favorite memories was that in 2003, when Waldorf became a four year university, was also the year that the Waldorf basketball team was ranked third in the nation.