Norwich University

Ed Hockenbury enters his third season as the Director of Athletics in 2024-25.

Hockenbury succeeded Tony Mariano, who retired in May of 2022 after a long career as the Director of Athletics.  Hockenbury began his tenure in June of 2022 after being named to the position in December of 2021.

Hockenbury, the son of former Norwich University head men's basketball Ed Hockenbury Sr., came to Norwich after serving as an Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations at the University of Vermont (UVM), a post he held since 2016 until assuming his current role.

Hockenbury supervised great strides in athletics during the 2023-24 campaign, which was capped off with Norwich University receiving the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Commissioner's Cup, awarded to the institution that "achieves the highest level of athletic success each academic year."  The department claimed the Commissioner's Cup for men's athletics for the first time since the 2012-13 academic year.  11 Norwich student-athletes received major year-end awards, including Player and Rookie of the Year.

In his first year at Norwich, Hockenbury oversaw the reemergence of golf and rifle as varsity sports.  Among many other accomplishments, the athletic department had one of the most successful years in terms of academic achievement.  177 student-athletes, a Norwich record, landed on the GNAC Academic All-Conference, while 31 Norwich student-athletes were also named to the NEHC Academic All-Conference squad.  A staggering 72 senior student-athletes, 57% of the class of 2023, finished their careers with a 3.25 cumulative GPA or above.  An amazing 11 Norwich student-athletes were honored by their various conferences, named either Player of the Year or Rookie of the Year.  

Hockenbury has over 30 years of leadership and administrative experience in athletic administration and sports supervision at both the high school and college levels, in addition to a proven track record in equipment operations supervision, facilities management, event operations, construction project planning and management, gender equity and diversity initiatives, alumni engagement, and coaching student-athletes. 

At UVM, Hockenbury managed numerous aspects of a comprehensive NCAA Division I athletic program with 18 sports and over 400 student-athletes.

A native of Northfield, Hockenbury graduated from Northfield High School in 1986 and was an All-State performer in baseball and basketball.  He moved on to play collegiately at Princeton University and was a three-year starting catcher on the baseball team before graduating in 1990 with a degree in history.

After signing a professional baseball contract with the California Angels in 1991, Hockenbury was hired as an assistant baseball coach at UVM under Bill Currier for six seasons.  He also worked in tickets, event management, marketing and promotions, and special projects in athletic administration.  Hockenbury earned a master's degree in educational leadership from UVM in 1995. 

He became the Athletic Director at Essex High School in 1997 and served until 2014.  Hockenbury then became the Director of Student Activities at South Burlington High School and Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School for two years. 

He is also a long-time youth basketball and baseball coach in South Burlington. 

Hockenbury leads all aspects of Norwich's 22 varsity athletic programs.  Hockenbury is just the fifth director of athletics at Norwich University since 1955 (Joe Garrity, 1955-1962; Bob Priestley, 1964-1978; Joe Sabol, 1978-1992; Tony Mariano, 1992-2022). 

The Hockenbury name is still prominent within the Norwich Athletic Department.  The men's and women's basketball programs started the Hockenbury Classic in 1997 and recently celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the tournament with his namesake at Andrews Gym. 

The tournament is named after Ed's father, Ed Hockenbury Sr., who coached the men's basketball program for 17 years.  The legendary men's basketball coach guided Norwich to its first two NCAA Tournament appearances in the 1980s.  Hockenbury Sr. passed away in 1996 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. 

Hockenbury and his wife Stephanie, a 1993 UVM graduate, live in South Burlington. They have three sons: Eddie (UVM '19), Ryan, and Casey.