Bio

André Polaniecki (née Duplechain) is a lecturer in the Humanities Department at Holy Cross College.  She joined the college in 2009 as the Athletics Recruiting Coordinator.  After serving as an Assistant Director of Athletics (Compliance) for nine years, she assumed the role as Faculty Athletics Representative in July 2020.  André also directs the Sport, Culture, and Formation minor and the Leadership track and serves as the faculty adviser of the Cross & Anchor Summit at Holy Cross.

André continues to oversee compliance responsibilities for Holy Cross’s varsity sports. This includes NAIA rules compliance and eligibility for all Holy Cross student-athletes. She works with various departments and offices within the college to ensure student-athlete success in competition and in the classroom. She also oversees rules education for coaches and assists the faculty with maintaining a healthy academic environment for student-athletes.  She also serves as the Eligibility Chair for the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletics Conference.

Before joining Holy Cross College, André spent six years teaching and coaching in New Orleans, Louisiana.  During her five years at St. Mary’s Dominican High School, she taught several courses in the theology department and assisted the track and field team as the throwing coach.  She earned a Masters of Religious Education from Loyola University of New Orleans through the Loyola Institute for Ministry in 2008.  She defended her dissertation in 2020.  Entitled "The Sportsman's Pope:  Leadership in John Paul II's Writings on Sport," this work explores the intersection of faith, religion, education, sport and leadership.

The Port Barre, Louisiana native is a 2003 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a degree in theology and a supplementary major in philosophy.  She was a four-year member of the Irish track and field team and the 2000 and 2001 Spring Opener javelin champion.

André and her husband Andrew (who is the Associate Vice President for Campus Operations at Holy Cross College) reside in South Bend with their five children (Gabriel, David, Leo, Agnes and Matthew), where they are members of Saint Joseph Parish.  She is a member of the Notre Dame Monogram Club.