Earlier this year, Art Reilly retired from his six-year stint at LS as the Athletic Director. Succeeding Art Reilly is Daniel “Dan” Lee. Lee is quite familiar with the Lincoln-Sudbury community, as he grew up in Sudbury and graduated from LS in 1997, where he played soccer and lacrosse.
After his time at LS, Lee attended the College of the Holy Cross where he played lacrosse for four years and soon after began his career with an internship in sports marketing. “I knew I wanted to work in sports,” stated Lee. As “[his] desire to work in sports grew,” he then obtained a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut while working with the University of Connecticut football and basketball teams in operations and scouting. After getting his master’s, Lee started an internship with Major League Lacrosse (MLL), coincidentally run by LS graduate and Sudbury resident David Gross. Lee also coached lacrosse at Wheelock College and Worcester Academy before accepting the position of part-time Athletic Director at Needham High School in 2013. “People take different paths,” Lee commented on his complex career with a chuckle.
Lee became the full-time Athletic Director for Needham High School in 2017. When asked about his decision to move, Lee said, “I didn’t need to leave Needham; when Art Reilly reached out, it was something I had to explore.” But LS was “the one school [he would] consider leaving for. People are so invested in the community as a whole and how the athletic program is run,” said Lee.
In Lee’s first year, he plans to listen and learn what he can do to improve the LS community. “My vision is to maintain the level of excellence this program has sustained for a long time and put my own twist on it to take it to another level,” stated Lee. “I’m going to continue to support athletes and their families. I also plan to promote all of the great things we are doing and work with local social media outlets, like MetroWest Daily News and the Boston Globe.” Lee is “honored” to be a part of the LS community. “The athletic program and this school mean so much to me and were instrumental in shaping the person I am today.” He also “looks forward to meeting all of the athletes, coaches, and families.” He feels that “there is a tremendous sense of pride in this community” and he plans to continue that tradition.
