In an era defined by chaos — the transfer portal spinning at full speed, NIL changing recruiting dynamics, and conference realignment reshaping the college athletics map — one school is standing firm. Not stagnant. Not resistant. Just … consistent.
Holy Cross.
The Crusaders aren’t chasing trends. They’re defining their own path in a clear identity as a student-athlete-centered athletics department. Inside the office of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Kit Hughes, a row of whiteboards, yes, that is plural, bears the scribbled evidence of their process: notes, goals, erasures, revisions, and then more goals.
Rinse and repeat.
“We might need to start using the eraser more often,” Hughes joked. “But that’s a good problem. It means we’re not stopping. We’re not satisfied. We remain committed to innovating and improving every single day.”
A Model That’s More Than a Model
Hughes doesn’t hesitate when asked to make the case for Holy Cross Athletics.
“We’re the perfect marriage of Division I athletics and a world-class academic and social experience,” he said. “In a world that’s become increasingly transactional, we are a program that is truly transformational.”
That word — transformational — is the backbone of the Holy Cross philosophy. Hughes sees the student-athlete experience as something far deeper than wins and GPAs. It’s about growth. Identity. Lifelong connection.
“The relationship doesn’t end at graduation,” Hughes said. “We mentor. We help with career exploration. We stay involved. Our alumni come back, they mentor, they give their time, their experience, and their voices. That’s lifelong engagement, and that’s what we aspire for with all of our graduates.”
Work-Life Integration — And Values That Stick
When Hughes reflects on what keeps him up at night, it isn’t NIL deals or APR scores. It’s a more personal balance.
“This job takes everything,” he said. “It’s not about work-life balance, it’s about work-life integration. Integration is the keyword there. I’m trying to be fully present for my family and have them involved, while still pouring into our student-athletes, coaches, and community. Some days I am better threading that needle than others, but that is a challenge I reflect on regularly.”
It’s a fitting quote for Holy Cross as a whole, a place where integration of values, identity, and support forms its pillars of success.
That Crusader ethos begins with recruiting. Hughes is quick to note his coaches and their staffs are intentional in identifying high-character student-athletes who don’t just tolerate Holy Cross’ academic rigor — they embrace it.
“You can’t hide here,” Hughes said. “We’re a campus of 3,200 undergrads. No grad school. No TAs. You’re one-on-one with your professors. So we recruit kids who want to be great in all areas, not just on the field.”
Portal-Proof? Not Quite — But Close
In today’s portal-happy landscape, it’s shocking to hear what Hughes says next.
“When we went through our recent football coaching transition, we didn’t lose a single undergrad to the portal,” he said.
That transition from Bob Chesney to Dan Curran in December 2023 could have easily sparked departures. Instead, it became a case study in retention.
“It’s a credit to our culture and to both coaches,” Hughes said. “The kids felt like, ‘This is still Holy Cross. I don’t want to give that up.’”
That kind of stability doesn’t just happen. It’s earned through relationships and delivery on promises made during the recruiting process.
“We’re definitely not portal-proof,” Hughes admitted, “but the Holy Cross community is very hard to walk away from. And when we do go to the portal in recruiting, we don’t change who we are. We bring in the right kids.”
NIL With Intention
On NIL, Hughes again emphasizes fit and intentionality.
“Our approach began as largely educational,” he said. “We wanted our kids to know how to operate in this environment without jeopardizing themselves.”
Through partnerships with MOGL and the Mount St. James Collective, Holy Cross supports the small percentage of athletes who are positioned to benefit significantly from NIL without trying to be something it’s not.
“We don’t want kids choosing Holy Cross for a financial number,” Hughes said. “Because if they come here for $100, they’ll leave for $200. That’s not who we are.”
Holy Cross is not opting into revenue share settlements — not because it’s fearful or behind the times, but because Hughes believes it would undercut what makes the school distinctive.
“If we make it more transactional,” he said, “it changes who we are. Every school is different, but we believe the current environment presents an opportunity to lean further into what makes us different. Lean into the values, priorities, and goals of our campus and our community. Losing focus on what distinguishes Holy Cross from others will make us common – and that is not what we aspire to be.”
Facilities Fueling Momentum
Growth at Holy Cross Athletics isn’t just cultural, it’s physical, too.
Since opening the $95 million Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex in 2018, the department has tackled facility upgrades across several programs. Renovations have improved the lacrosse, field hockey, and track complexes, with softball, ice hockey, and football on deck.
“We’ve invested heavily,” Hughes said. “And that is work that never stops.”
Even the success of Holy Cross baseball, which earned a spot in the Chapel Hill NCAA Regional this past spring alongside bluebloods like UNC, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, serves as a symbol of what can happen when development meets belief.
A Renaissance in Worcester
While Holy Cross rises, so too does its city. As the second largest and fastest growing city in New England, Worcester is undergoing what Hughes calls a renaissance, one that offers a new layer of opportunity in recruiting and student experience.
“We’ve got this rare moment where the city is thriving, the college is thriving, and our athletic department is thriving,” Hughes said. “And all of it is working together.”
That includes admissions. Holy Cross recently crossed the 10,000 application mark for the first time in school history, while also posting the department’s best competitive year in over a decade, best academic year ever, and record fundraising numbers. As Hughes says, “this is a place where you can have it all.”
Final Word: No Settling
So what makes Holy Cross different? Hughes circles back to a theme he’s touched on throughout the conversation.
“You don’t have to settle here,” he said. “You can win. You can get a world-class education. You can have a real community. And when you leave, you’re still part of it.”
Hughes is quick to credit his staff, describing them as a group marked by “grit and determination.” And that mindset is essential when leading a department that serves more than 700 student-athletes — a number that makes Crusader Athletics a true outlier in today’s collegiate landscape. But that’s exactly how they operate: with a team-first mentality, a pragmatic approach, and a commitment to doing things differently — and successfully.
In a college sports world spinning faster by the day, that kind of clarity is rare. At Holy Cross Athletics, it’s a north star for the future.
