Rob Acunto
Rob Acunto was hired as Fresno State’s deputy director of athletics on August 1, 2023. Acunto assumed the role of Interim Director of Athletics on March 21, 2024.
Acunto brings over 25 years of experience in all aspects of intercollegiate athletics to Fresno State. He spent the last four years as Athletic Director at Presbyterian College (2019-23). He had prior stops at UTEP, The Citadel, American University, Cornell, and the Atlantic 10 Conference.
At Fresno State, Acunto will oversee all internal operations, including but not limited to compliance, academic services, human resources and personnel, and sports administration.
During his time at Presbyterian College, Acunto put an emphasis on student-athlete success and academic achievement. That was exemplified by the student-athlete grade point average exceeding the general student population grade point average each semester since his arrival at PC. The Blue Hose also set a Big South Conference record for having seven teams earn NCAA APR Public Recognition Awards for having an APR score in the top 10% of their sport nationally. Additionally, over 60% of PC student-athletes have earned Big South Conference Presidential Honor Roll recognition each year, and multiple sports programs and student-athletes have received national recognition for their outstanding academic achievement.
Immediately upon his arrival to PC, Acunto had to fill head coach vacancies in lacrosse and women’s golf. In addition to those two successful hires, he has since hired seven other head coaches and brought on board high-performing administrators for corporate & ticket sales, marketing, strategic communications, compliance & academic services, sports medicine and video productions. Acunto has also prioritized student-athlete health, safety, and well-being, including the creation of a student-athlete nutritional fueling station and the addition of two athletic training positions.
Prior to his time at Presbyterian College, Acunto was the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and External Operations at UTEP (2018-19). He spent the previous eight years in different roles with The Citadel’s athletic department, beginning as Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance & Academic Services in 2010 and working his way up the ranks to Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Operations. Acunto was also called upon twice by The Citadel’s president to serve as Interim Director of Athletics.
He had a brief stint as Assistant Commissioner for Business and Internal with the Atlantic 10 Conference (Dec. 2009 – April 2010). Before working at the A-10 conference, Acunto spent over five years (2004-09) at American University, including four years as the Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Internal Operations. His time at AU also included serving as Interim Director of Athletics and Recreation for the entire 2006-07 academic year. In 2001, he transitioned from coaching to administration by becoming the Associate Director of Admissions/Athletics Liaison at Cornell University for three years.
Acunto served as a men’s soccer coach at Vanderbilt, Bard College, and Springfield College. He played soccer collegiately at Southern Connecticut State University and Bryant College. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Bryant College in 1992. Acunto earned his master’s degree in physical education/sports management from Springfield College in 1996.
A native of upstate New York, he and his wife Jennifer attended Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School. Acunto was inducted into the BH-BL Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015 in recognition of his extraordinary athletic accomplishments as a soccer student-athlete.
