There is perhaps no greater embodiment of the motto “The Hawk Will Never Die” than Chris DiJulia, son of former Director of Athletics Don DiJulia, whose loyalty and magnetic personality have made him as entrenched in St. Joe’s tradition as the motto itself, according to men’s basketball Head Coach Phil Martelli.
“It’s not a building, it’s not a program, it’s a spirit where every person that comes in contact with you, you want to make them feel a little bit better about themselves,” Martelli said. “That’s what [Chris] does, he makes you feel better just by having the chance to talk to him.”
The relationship that Chris DiJulia has with Martelli is not rare at St. Joe’s. The impact of his constant presence and eternal optimism radiates throughout St. Joe’s athletics, according to Martelli.
These relationships, however, are reciprocal, according to Chris DiJulia, outlining what makes St. Joe’s so special.
“I’m a little biased, but all the coaches, they’re great,” Chris DiJulia said. The people we have here, they’re great to me, all of them.”
Chris DiJulia, the son of a Hawk legend, has created a legacy of his own at St. Joe’s. In Don DiJulia’s first year of retirement, his basketball game days became busier. He now sits next to his son, who has a constant flow of visitors that come to joke and talk sports with him.
“It’s just fun to be here,” Chris DiJulia said, looking out at Hagan Arena. “I can’t miss a game.”
In many ways, he is the consummate St. Joe’s basketball fan. He reminisces about the undefeated 2004 team, loves Jameer Nelson and is a critic of one of his closest friends, Martelli. When asked if he voices his opinions to the head coach, he laughed.
“I do,” Chris DiJulia said. “But it goes in one ear and out the other.”
Chris DiJulia has the experience to validate his claims. He has been around St. Joe’s basketball since before Martelli was introduced as an assistant coach in 1985.
“He’s always got something to say,” Martelli said.
Chris DiJulia also has a close relationship with women’s basketball Head Coach Cindy Griffin. He was a named a member of the women’s basketball coaching staff by then women’s basketball Head Coach Jim Foster in the 1980’s. He watched Griffin during her time as a player at St. Joe’s from his spot on the bench and has been around the program ever since.
“Cindy allowed me to be around the team and help how I could,” Chris DiJulia said. “That was really, really fun when that was going on. I still help a little bit, not on game day, but at practice.”
Last year, he was inducted into the St. Joe’s women’s basketball Hall of Fame.
“That was really special,” Chris DiJulia said.
Chris DiJulia, who has cerebral palsy, trains with Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Ben Steenrod to improve his dexterity. PHOTO: MATT BARRETT ’21
The connections he has established have stretched past the confines of Hawk Hill. He is close friends with Temple University men’s basketball Head Coach Fran Dunphy, and has even found himself in the middle of the Holy War.
When Villanova students stole the Hawk mascot costume days before a St. Joe’s Villanova rivalry game, legendary Villanova men’s basketball Head Coach Rollie Massimino, who coached the Wildcats from 1973-1992, found the students who had stolen it and instructed that they personally return it to Chris DiJulia.
He hardly ever misses a basketball game, men’s or women’s, and remembers every detail about his beloved Hawks.
Two games however, stand out to him. The first is St. Joe’s victory over number one ranked DePaul University in the 1981 NCAA Tournament and the second was the Hawks loss to Oklahoma State University in the 2004 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, which he grimaced at the thought of.
“I’m still thinking about it,” Chris DiJulia said about Nelson’s last second shot. “I’m going to take that one to my grave.”
According to him, the upset of DePaul in 1981 was his favorite experience as a Hawk fan because of one deciding factor.
“The ball went in,” he said with a laugh. “In 2004, the ball came out. That’s the difference.”
Chris DiJulia’s loyalty to St. Joe’s is boundless and is not confined to basketball. He followed the field hockey team closely and attended many of their games. Chris DiJulia and his father had plans to drive to Chapel Hill, N.C. had the Hawks advanced in the NCAA tournament and still shows frustration about their defeat. He also shares a connection with the softball team who badger him whenever he chooses a basketball game instead of one of their games.
His dedication extends past his fandom. He trains to improve the strength in his back and his dexterity three times a week and fittingly, he refused to train anywhere other than at St. Joe’s. He works out in the weight room of Hagan Arena with Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Ben Steenrod.
“Everyone knows him,” Steenrod said. “And he’s always positive for all the teams. He takes an interest in everyone and he really cares.”
Steenrod and Chris DiJulia have forged a special bond in the time they spend together. According to Steenrod, they have “Chris DiJulia hour” in the weight room, where he only wants country music to be played.
“We talk about everything in there,” Steenrod said. “But I’d say about 50 percent of it is just trash talk.”
Steenrod has seen firsthand the impact that Chris DiJulia has on the people he encounters. In four years together he said their relationship has “grown exponentially,” and Chris DiJulia often comes in just to talk and hangout. The two text back and forth regularly, but Steenrod is on a long list of people that Chris DiJulia keeps in touch with.
“All the people that have come and gone I still talk to even now,” he said.
Chris DiJulia is not exaggerating. He keeps a handle on just about everyone that he has crossed paths with, including current and former players, coaches and administrators who all have one thing in common: they’ve been drawn to his unique mix of banter and inspiration.
“He has a tremendous spirit,” Martelli said. “And he really never has a down day, except if the Eagles lose or the Phillies lose or the Hawks lose. He’s a real inspiration and he’s a Philadelphia treasure and we’re lucky at Saint Joseph’s to be able to call him ours.”
