Bruce Kirsh
Bruce Kirsh

Bio

Entering his 39th year at the helm of Franklin Pierce athletics in 2016-17 and 45th year at the University, Bruce Kirsh has helped the school rank among the elite NCAA Division II colleges and universities in the nation.

Kirsh, a 1971 graduate of the University, has served in various posts during his 45-year tenure with the Ravens. He was the head men's basketball coach for 12 years - compiling a 254-119 record which included six NAIA district championships - to claim one of the highest winning percentages (.719) in small college basketball history. He was also named NAIA District Coach of the Year in 1980 and coached four players to All-American status. In 1984, Kirsh was one of five NAIA coaches to be selected by the U.S. State Department to conduct a series of clinics in Seychelles, Africa.

A 1992 inductee of the Franklin Pierce Athletics Hall of Fame, Kirsh also guided the women's basketball team to a 31-13 slate over three seasons and the men's soccer team for four seasons (23-18-4). He has also coached baseball, softball, golf, and women's tennis.

In January of 1996, Kirsh was named Assistant to the President for Administration and accepted the task of overseeing buildings and grounds, recreation and facility scheduling, in addition to athletics. In the summer of 1999, Kirsh and College President George J. Hagerty completed an exhaustive three-year push to gain the college admittance into the Northeast-10 Conference.

In the summer of 2002, Kirsh was appointed Vice President at the University as he continues to oversee the facilities, buildings and grounds as well as athletics and recreation at Franklin Pierce. The appointment was made at the conclusion of the University opening the 4.8-million dollar Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications which he played a significant role in the construction efforts. Kirsh was also instrumental in the development of Sodexo Field and Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field, the first new athletics facilities at Franklin Pierce in over two decades.

Kirsh's involvement has extended beyond the Rindge, N.H., campus. He served as the assistant commissioner to the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC), one of the most competitive all-around NCAA Division II conference in the nation before its run ended after the 1999-2000 season. He was also chairman of the NECC Men's Basketball Committee as well as chairman of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Soccer Committee. In November 2003, Kirsh was selected to serve as a member of the NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions - acting as committee chair since 2006.

Kirsh has two sons, Rob and Jeff. He became a grandparent for the first time in December 2012, as Rob and his wife, Katie, welcomed a baby boy, Sam, to the family. A native of Fair Lawn, N.J., Kirsh resides in Gardner, Mass.