Hall of Fame
Joseph Arcese, working together with his athletic directors, was instrumental in transforming Metro State athletics into an NCAA Division II powerhouse. Arcese worked collaboratively to orchestrate the hiring of championship caliber coaches during his tenure, providing the impetus for Metro State to become a national contender on an annual basis in several sports. He also secured scholarships for all sports in the mid-1990s, helped improve athletic facilities and instituted the early class registration and fifth-year scholarship for athletes.
In 1999, Joan McDermott and the athletic department honored Arcese by establishing the Joseph F. Arcese Award to annually recognize a Metro State faculty, staff or administrator for their outstanding contributions to Roadrunner athletics. Arcese and his wife Sue created the Joseph F. and Susan J. Arcese Endowed Athletic Scholarship to provide financial support for Roadrunner athletes.
Arcese retired as vice president of administration in 2002. Besides athletics, Arcese was responsible for the departments of budgeting, accounting, information technology, human resources and institutional research.
Arcese was a member of the USA Para-Olympic wheelchair basketball teams that won a gold medal in 1976 and a silver medal in the 1968 Olympics.
