A new era has officially begun as the Penn Hills School Board voted unanimously May 22 to hire the district's first female athletic director, Stephanie Strauss.

Strauss, a 2007 Penn Hills graduate, has been an assistant women's volleyball coach at the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland the past three seasons.

The chance to give back to her community and dream job potential were the factors that most interested Strauss.

“I've been around athletics since I was in high school. I worked in the athletic office as a student, and I really have been interested in this field since then. Sports are my passion and working with the youth is something that I really care about,” Strauss said.

“I want to give back to the community that gave so much to me. I'm really proud of the Penn Hills tradition. It's something that I really care about. It's an honor to return to where I grew up.”

Strauss replaces John Peterman, who accepted the athletic director position at Kiski Area in March. Peterman was Penn Hills' athletic director since 2007 and head football coach since 2011.

Board member Marlon Ferguson said there were about 50 candidates for the position. Ten were interviewed.

“When she interviewed, she blew everybody away,” he said. “Her parents must be so proud. She's amazing. I'm so pleased to have her join our team and to have her start here.”

During her time at Penn Hills, Strauss was a four-sport star and excelled in volleyball, softball, track and field and basketball. She was inducted into the Penn Hills Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

The 28-year old Strauss finished sixth in Juniata volleyball history with more than 3,400 career assists. She graduated from Juniata in 2011 and received numerous laurels for her efforts on the volleyball court and in the classroom.

She was a three-time All-American and a first-team Academic All-American during her junior year.

Immediately after graduating from Juniata, Strauss started her collegiate coaching career as an assistant women's volleyball coach at Juniata until accepting the same position at Navy in 2014.

Strauss believes she will be able to aid student-athletes in providing opportunities to further their education.

“I've learned a lot about the recruiting process. I have worked at both Division III and Division I levels. I know what coaches are looking for when they are recruiting student-athletes and the best way to go about that process,” Strauss said.

“I want to bring that knowledge that I have learned to Penn Hills and help our student-athletes get recruited. There are a lot of scholarships out there, and I want our student-athletes to take advantage of these.”

Strauss hopes to find ways to increase student participation in sports at the middle school and high school levels, as well as the inclusion of cyber charter students. Also, Strauss hopes to serve as a role model for many young girls in the Penn Hills community.

“I want to get more girls and young women to play sports at Penn Hills,” she said. “I hope to be a role model for the girls in the community because they really can achieve their dreams. This is a dream job for me. I'm very proud of Penn Hills and I'm proud of where I come from.”

With Peterson's departure, Strauss will look to aid in the process of hiring a new football coach. Peterman went 27-32 and had four playoff appearances in his six seasons.

“The Penn Hills football tradition is very rich,” she said. “We had a lot of success in the past. It's a highly sought-after job so we want to bring in someone who respects the history of the program and is excited about the future.

“We want someone who really cares about the kids. That is the most important thing that the kids have a good experience, and they can help them in any way they can.”

Strauss' salary will be $80,000. An official start date was not announced.

Staff writer Mike DiVittorio contributed. Andrew John is freelance writer.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---