Peddie’s Homegrown Talent Takes Charge as New Athletic Director
D’Andrea assumed the director of athletics position after serving Peddie as assistant director of admission for two years. He will continue to coach the boys lacrosse team, which he has done since 2021.
“Returning has always been on the horizon,” he said. “Special places have a way of doing that.”
D’Andrea said he and his wife, Erika Kapp ’98, are “Peddie people.” When he first stepped onto campus as a teenager in the late 1990s, it was to attend a lacrosse camp run by Bob Turco ’70 and Turco’s coach, Dietrich von Schwerdtner. The coaches encouraged him to apply to Peddie the following year.
“I didn’t know what boarding schools were, but those coaches took me under their wings,” D’Andrea recalled. “The school took a chance on me, and so I’ve always felt really grateful and indebted to it, and I knew I wanted to go and pay that forward to other kids.”
As a student, D’Andrea excelled in varsity boys lacrosse and football. He earned a B.A. in English from Georgetown University, where he also distinguished himself as an all-conference lacrosse goalie.
D’Andrea has worn a lot of different hats during his career. After working in commercial real estate, he went to work for Princeton Day School for eight years as an English teacher, coach and admissions officer. D’Andrea then worked in property management before returning to Peddie to work in admission.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a great support network and people that I can rely on in a lot of ways. That’s families, coworkers, friends,” he remarked, emphasizing the strong bonds within the Peddie community.
Transforming Peddie Athletics
For D’Andrea, athletics has always been a valuable learning tool. “I think that there are different ways that kids learn,” he noted. “Athletics are how I understood the world. Lessons in teamwork, in showing up for other people, resiliency, and playing through adversity are all the types of things that I’ve learned through athletics.”
Now, he aims to use his experiences, including as an alumnus, to bolster Peddie Athletics.
D’Andrea has worked with several former Peddie athletic directors and has stayed in contact with several mentors. He credits former Director of Athletics Sue Cabot for playing an important part in his professional growth.
“An overwhelming feeling that I have is that Peddie Athletics is primed for a resurgence right now,” he said. “We’ve brought in a number of great coaches over the last few years, people who are connected to the school and accomplished in their field. The forces are aligning in such a way that we’re anticipating some special things in the near future.”
In his first few weeks on the job, D’Andrea has already started overseeing a major fitness center renovation featuring a rowing center, golf training spaces (with a simulator), a cardio room and a varsity weight room.
“We’re excited to offer our student-athletes facilities that support their aspirations,” he said. “Between [Strength and Conditioning Coach] Mike Volkmar’s knowledge and ability as a coach and having newly-renovated spaces that are tailored to the needs of our kids, our Strength and Conditioning program sets us apart from our peer schools.”
The revamped preseason strength and conditioning model provides Peddie’s student-athletes with an extended opportunity for development before the season starts, allowing them to work closely with Volkmar and their varsity coaches throughout the year.
A Vision for the Future
D’Andrea has crafted a blueprint that’s founded on the idea of “education through athletics.” He’s focused on enhancing the student-athlete experience, including a shift in the after-school activity requirements to allow athletes to spend more than one season training for their primary sport. Intensifying recruiting efforts, providing professional development opportunities for coaches and working alongside outside programs are scaffolded into his model.
D’Andrea, drawing from his athletic background, has a can-do attitude.
“There are lots of moving parts right now, and a big part of me feels like I’m picking up the ball in the fourth quarter,” he said. “But as sports have taught me, that’s exactly when you want the ball.”