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Pitt interim athletic director Donna Sanft sometimes works from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., but she… Pitt interim athletic director Donna Sanft sometimes works from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., but she wouldn’t trade her job for anything.

“I love the University of Pittsburgh, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have been given as a student, athlete and employee at Pitt,” Sanft said.

Sanft grew up in nearby Monessen and graduated from Monessen High School in 1970.

She then attended Pitt and since has made a noticeable impact both as a student and as an administrator.

As an incoming freshman in the fall of 1970, Sanft took part in the gymnastics program, where she was a three-time captain and named Pitt’s Female Scholar Athlete of the Year as a senior in 1974.

Although she graduated from Pitt that year, she never quite left.

Sanft was then hired to coach the gymnastics team – the same team for which she played the season before. Her coaching tenure would last 12 years, from 1974 to 1986, and was good enough for an overall record of 82-50-1 and two Eastern Collegiate Coach of the Year awards.

Even after she stopped coaching, Sanft stayed within the Panthers organization. In 1987, she became the senior associate athletic director for administration and still holds that position, even after being named interim athletic director to immediately replace the departed Jeff Long, who was hired as the athletic director for Arkansas last month.

Currently occupying both of the above positions, Sanft is responsible for supervising student athletes’ academic eligibility and financial aid.

She has played a big role in the professional development within the department and the department’s planning strategies.

Sanft is in charge of making sure that Pitt’s athletic programs are in line with the NCAA rules and education programs, and she runs Panther Game Plan, which is the life-skills program within in the department.

However, one of her most remarkable accomplishments is overseeing and staffing Panther Zone, a free rally for students sponsored by Pitt Student Affairs, the Pitt Program Council, Pitt Student Life and the Pitt athletic department.

It’s a non-alcoholic social environment with free food, games and music held before each home football game outside PNC Park, for which student interest has been rising.

Sanft’s love for Pitt causes her to strive to make the best contribution to not only the athletics department but to the entire University and student-life experience. She loved her time as an undergraduate at Pitt, and although some things have changed around the University, she still wants to make sure every student gets the most out of his time.

When asked about her goals for the department now that she is interim athletic director, Sanft replied by saying that her and the athletics department’s No. 1 priority “has always been, and will always be, the welfare of the students.”

Sanft works hard to make sure that athletics contribute to the experience of the student.

Whether they are members of a team or attending a Pitt sporting event, Sanft wants to make sure that students are enjoying themselves.

Sanft also believes that the coaches at Pitt have a lot of aspirations for their teams and are always working hard to take make the step to improve on the national level.

While some sports are struggling and others are on the rise, she realizes that the public perception might be different from the internal.

“The Pitt athletics department has enjoyed many successes over the years,” Sanft said, “and our future is incredibly bright.”

Sanft said that she is “confident in the abilities of our coaches and athletic department staff as we continue to strive for greatness in all of our programs, and I look forward to my continued work with all of them as we move forward.”

In 2003, Sanft was part of the search committee looking for a new athletic director.

Although she is no longer on that committee, she does not have intentions at this time to make this interim position a permanent job.

“At this moment, I am not looking to be a candidate for athletic director,” Sanft said.

Sanft says she wants to work hard and not “skip a beat” while serving as the interim athletic director. Her goal is to continue to improve and make Pitt athletics better.

And no matter who the next athletic director is, Sanft wants him to walk in on the first day and say that the person before him did a great job.