Previously a member of the intercollegiate athletics staff at UC Davis for 25 years, Mark Honbo joins the St. Francis High School family as the new assistant athletics director for communications. He replaces the beloved Steve Shaff, who departed the Troubie program in 2020.
"After a national search in which all of our finalists hailed from NCAA Division I institutions, we're thrilled to announce Mark Honbo as our new Assistant AD for Communications," said Athletics Director Mark McGreevy. "Our committee was very impressed with his extensive experience and wide-ranging skill set, but most importantly how he has employed those talents towards the promotion of education-based sport and the celebration of women's sports in particular over his career.
"We're excited to welcome Mark to the Troubie family and are equally excited to how his services will enhance the experience of our student-athletes, their families and all those who support and follow Troubadour Athletics."
Honbo, an alumnus of St. Francis rival Davis High School, graduated from UC Davis in 1995 with a degree in managerial economics. He worked as a member of the athletics development staff, providing administrative support to the Aggies' fundraising efforts, then moved over to the athletics communications office (then known as sports information) in 1998. Honbo worked primarily with women's volleyball, women's lacrosse, women's gymnastics, and men's and women's water polo for the majority of his tenure at UC Davis, then more recently oversaw the communications efforts for Aggie football, gymnastics and softball.
"Obviously, I am excited to be a part of the Troubie family," Honbo said. "I worked with many St. Francis alumnae-turned-Aggies during my time at UC Davis, so I am familiar of the history and tradition of both this school and its sports programs.
"Whether you're a coach, a support staffer or an administrator, the most rewarding part of working in athletics at any level is enhancing a student-athlete's experience. This is a special time in the lives of these young women. The memories they gain, the lessons they learn, and the relationships they forge as athletes will shape who they become and what they will accomplish. I'm proud to be a part of that process."
In addition to his regular media relations duties, Honbo also served on the stat crew for the majority of UC Davis' 25 sports. In fact, his service to the Aggie men's and women's basketball statistics operations dates back to the 1985-86 season, when he was still an eighth-grader at Holmes Junior High. Honbo's skill set later encompassed desktop publishing, social media, plus portrait and action photography during his quarter-century in Davis.
Honbo will administer the official department website (GoTroubies.com), oversee the Troubies' athletics social media presence, supervise a selection of SFHS sports and assist McGreevy and veteran assistant ADs Kelly Ketcham and Ken McGuire with all aspects of the school's athletics operations.