Siena Athletics announced the hiring of Andrew Santandera as Associate Athletic Director of Operations on June 3, 2019. No stranger to Loudonville, Santandera joined Siena after spending the last five years at the La Salle Institute in Troy, NY.
Santandera held multiple roles while at the La Salle Institute, most recently as the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. He has earned multiple New York State Educational certifications and is a member of multiple educational and athletic board and administrative committees.
"We welcome Andrew to the Siena athletic department and look forward to him being a part of the leadership team,” stated Siena Vice President and Director of Athletics John D’Argenio. “As an athletic director at the high school level his ability to be organized and manage several different issues at one time were on full display. Andrew also hold leadership positions with the New York state association and worked in unison with people from different types of schools from different areas of the state.”
Prior to his time at the La Salle Institute, Santandera was an intern with the Saints in 2013. He worked under the assistant athletic director of operations, preparing and reviewing travel expense reports, providing check request forms for officials, along with many other tasks.
Santandera has also coached basketball at multiple levels, beginning his career at Southern Vermont College as an assistant coach from 2003-2005. Then he joined the coaching staff at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts as an assistant coach from 2005 through 2006, then becoming the Freshman Boy’s Head Coach at Averill Park High School from 2006 through 2010. Additionally to his coaching experience, Santandera also worked as a business teacher at Drury High School for a year, as well as owned and managed A.J’s Pizza & Family Dining in West Sand Lake, NY from 2007 to 2013.
Santandera earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and minor in marketing in 2003 from Southern Vermont College where he would be featured as a four-year varsity athlete in men’s basketball. He would then earn his master’s degree from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2013, and recently earning his certificate in Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Educational Leadership in 2018.
Santandera resides in Averill Park with his wife Katie and daughter Annella.
