Tom Hitcho is entering his 32nd year with the Loyola Athletics Department and is the longest-running staff member in the department, making him synonymous with Loyola athletics. He has been an associate athletics director since 1986, and was named senior associate athletics director in 2000. Hitcho also holds the head athletics trainer position.

"I enjoy working with the people in my department," said Hitcho. "Throughout the years, the staff members and the coaches have been very good to me. I especially enjoy working with the student-athletes because they keep me young, and the Jesuit administration has always been cooperative with and supportive of athletics."

Hitcho's primary responsibilities include the purchasing of athletic equipment, making all travel arrangements, and fulfilling the financial obligations for the athletics department. As head athletics trainer, a position he has held since he came to Loyola in 1977, Hitcho is in charge of the care and prevention of injuries for student-athletes, as well as overseeing the rehabilitation of athletes.

Hitcho was the last employee hired by former head men's basketball coach and athletics director George Ireland, before his retirement. Before coming to Loyola, Hitcho was a graduate assistant in the physical education program at Indiana State University and received his M.S. in Sports Medicine from that university in 1977. He went on to earn a Ph.D. from Loyola in 1996.

A graduate of Youngstown State University with a B.S. in education, Hitcho entered the U.S. Navy and served as a member of a Flight Crew from 1971-1975. Hitcho, who resides in Chicago, was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.