STATEN ISLAND, NY (July 24, 2026) – Wagner College utilized Collegiate Consulting for its Director of Athletics search. The search culminated today in the hiring of Georgetown Sr. Associate Athletic Director Ariel “AP” Pesante.
Collegiate Consulting worked closely with Wagner to create a diverse pool of applicants, which resulted in over 50 applicants and providing support throughout the selection process. Additionally, the firm helped with development and distribution of the job description as well as candidate review.
“We were delighted to engage Russell Wright and the Collegiate Consulting team as part of our search process. They were extremely valuable in developing a robust candidate pool and providing vetting and expertise throughout the process and lead us to hire a proven leader in AP as our next Athletic Director,” stated Wagner College president Jeff Doggett.
“We are appreciative for the opportunity provided to us by Dr. Doggett and Wagner College,” remarked Collegiate Consulting Managing Director Russell Wright. “Mr. Pesante is going to be a fantastic AD, and we are excited for the next chapter of Wagner Athletics.”
Collegiate Consulting has worked with more than seven hundred institutions since its inception in 2005 and the Wagner search is the 11th search the firm has completed in the past 12 months.