Don Bocchi has completed his 32nd year of service at Arizona State University in January 2017. As a senior associate athletic director, his primary duties include oversight of 12 varsity head coaches and their programs: wrestling, women's basketball, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, men's and women's tennis, soccer, baseball, men's and women's golf, cross country and track and field.
Don Bocchi also served as the President of the Sun Angel Foundation, ASU Athletics' fundraising arm, from 1993 until 2002. The SAF has been supporting Sun Devil athletics as a separate entity since 1947, but under Bocchi's leadership has became part of ASU's athletic department in 1998.
After a 23-year coaching career, Bocchi was appointed President of the SAF in September 1993 and assumed the role in December of that same year. Under his leadership, the SAF has expanded its staff and programs while maintaining its goal of promoting excellence in both academic and athletic programs at ASU.
Bocchi's association with Arizona State began in 1985 when he began a nine-year stint as an assistant coach for Sun Devil football. He began by serving as ASU's recruiting director until 1988 when he became ASU's receivers coach, a role he remained in through the 1993 season. In those nine years Bocchi served under four ASU head coaches: Darryl Rogers, John Cooper, Larry Marmie and Bruce Snyder.
Bocchi's coaching career began as an assistant football and basketball coach at Blackhawk High School in his hometown of Beaver Falls, Pa. He moved into the college ranks in 1975 as a member of the Kansas State coaching staff. He spent one year as a graduate assistant for the Wildcats and two seasons as the team's recruiting coordinator. In 1978, Bocchi was named an assistant to the athletic director at Kansas State. In that position he handled certification of eligibility, compliance with NCAA regulations and academics for the Wildcats. He returned to coaching and serving as Kansas State's backfield coach from 1981 to 1984.
Bocchi was born Sept. 20, 1946 in Beaver Falls, Pa., and graduated from Beaver Falls High School, alma mater of legendary NFL quarterback Joe Namath. Bocchi played one year of varsity basketball at Adrian College in Michigan. He transferred to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 1966, and graduated in 1968. In 1970, he earned a master's degree in education from the University of Wisconsin.
Bocchi and his wife, Eileen, have two sons, Matthew and Joel, and five grandchildren.
