Webster University Athletics

Niel DeVasto could be considered the architect of the Webster Athletics program as he is the person whose vision inspired the birth of Webster Athletics back in the early 1980's during his time working in the Office of Admissions. He served as the school's first athletic director from 1984-88, while also continuing as Webster's Associate Director of Admissions. In DeVasto's four years as Webster's athletic director, he added eight sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's cross country, men's soccer, men's and women's tennis, and volleyball.  He was also responsible for transitioning the Webster Athletics program into full-time membership with the NCAA as a Division III level institution and also helped broker a coalition of area colleges to form what is now the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Since the Webster Groves campus lacked athletic facilities, DeVasto negotiated time-share agreements with local schools (Nerinx Hall and Webster Groves High School), the city of Webster Groves and St. Louis Soccer Park. In 1996, DeVasto was promoted from admissions counselor to Admissions Director, a position he held until 2009. In his time as the Admissions Director, Webster's incoming freshman class at the Webster Groves campus increased by 44 percent. In 2009, DeVasto would return to the department he helped create to serve as the school's first-ever full-time Sports Information Director, a position he held until he retired from the school in December 2017.  DeVasto was awarded Webster's Athletic Department's Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) Appreciation Award in 2018.