PHILADELPHIA – The Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Pennsylvania is proud to announce the creation of the John Di Paolo, C'92, G'92, W'92 Women's Basketball Assistant Coach Endowment Fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide ongoing financial support to the women's basketball program and will name one of the assistant coach positions. The fund was made possible by a generous gift from Penn Basketball Board member John Di Paolo, C'92, G'92, W'92.
 
This gift marks the first assistant coach endowment to be made since the public launch of Power the Next 100.
 
"I can't thank John enough for his dedication to Penn Women's Basketball," said Alanna Shanahan, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation. "Growing our women's athletics endowment is a top priority of Power the Next 100. As a long-time supporter of Penn Basketball, John heeded the call of investing in our women's program. His involvement as a member of the board and as a mentor has greatly benefited our student-athletes, and I am so grateful of John's association with Penn Women's Basketball."

Di Paolo, who resides in Philadelphia, has been a loyal member of the Penn Basketball Board since 2011. As an undergraduate, John was a writer for the sports section of the Daily Pennsylvanian. Being involved with Penn Athletics as a student sparked his lifelong passion for Penn Basketball. In his time after Penn, Di Paolo has worked in varying roles at Prudential, currently as Principal, PGIM Fixed Income. He has continued to stay connected within the Philadelphia area, as a volunteer for both Penn Basketball and as a former member of the Board of Trustees for Holy Ghost Preparatory School.
 
"When the opportunity to mentor the women's basketball team presented itself over a decade ago, I could not have imagined the degree to which I personally would be impacted by these wonderful student athletes," said Di Paolo. "The engagement has been mutually beneficial, as it has enriched my life and helped me grow personally and professionally by being more conscious of individual circumstances and more proactive in presenting a response. It is an honor to be associated with Penn's national level program filled with such high caliber individuals and to address the funding challenges faced by women's athletics by providing future Quakers a lasting financial commitment."
 

Head Women's Basketball Coach Mike McLaughlin understands the impact a gift like this can have on a program. "We are honored that John would consider aligning his support with our mission to provide a first-class experience for our student-athletes," McLaughlin said. "This is a game changer for our program and will help us not only sustain, but build upon the foundation we have built for years and years to come. Thank you, John for your friendship and commitment to Penn Women's Basketball."
 
Current women's basketball associate head coach/recruiting coordinator Kelly Killion will be the first to assume the position of John Di Paolo, C'92, G'92, W'92 Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator of Women's Basketball. Killion enters her seventh season at Penn.
 
"I want to extend my deepest gratitude to John for his generous support of Penn Women's Basketball," Killion said. "I consider John a friend and to be able to impact our current student-athletes while representing his namesake is an opportunity I will cherish. Thank you John for your tremendous support."
 
In his role on the mentoring committee of the Penn Basketball Board, Di Paolo has provided a myriad of student-athletes career advice and mentorship throughout the years. As a result, he has impacted a number of Penn Women's Basketball alumnae who are thrilled to see his name linked in perpetuity with the program.
 
"As a Penn Women's Basketball alumna, it has been amazing to have John be a part of our experience," said Meghan McCullough, ENG'14. "From his mentorship as a student-athlete to the strong relationships and continued support in life after Penn, it is clear he has not only had a positive impact on me but so many alumnae. John is a valued member of the Penn Women's Basketball family. He is always a familiar face in the stands and readily available for a career chat, a Penn Women's Basketball stat, or insight from the coaching staff. The fact that he is inextricably linked to Penn Women's Basketball through his passion, commitment and continued dedication is a testament to how much he cares about this program and its continued success."

Power the Next 100 launched in October 2022 with a goal of growing and strengthening endowment support for women's athletics at Penn. With his gift, Di Paolo hopes he will inspire others to have an impact and make endowment gifts of their own. For those interested in learning more about getting involved, please reach out to Tim Folan at 215-573-0315 or tfolan@upenn.edu.
 
A celebration to recognize Di Paolo will take place at The Palestra during the Women's Basketball Alumnae Day festivities on Saturday, January 7 when the team hosts Columbia at 5 p.m., ET.