Ronald S. Perry Sr. played basketball and baseball for Holy Cross where he earned the coveted title of All-American in 1952 and a spot in the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame. He is the only New England collegiate athlete to be a member of national championship teams in two major sports.
In 1952, he pitched the Crusaders to an NCAA World Series baseball title, and two years later he captained the basketball team in the National Invitational Tournament. He is a two-time winner of All-East honors on the court with 992 points, while maintaining a pitching record of 23-2 at the same time.
Perry’s athletic accomplishments continued after graduation as Director of Athletics at Holy Cross for 26 years. During his tenure, he guided Crusader athletics toward regional, as well as national prominence. He led the football team to a national ranking in nine of his 12 seasons. Under Perry’s direction, the basketball team made 11 post-season appearances in the NCAA and National Invitational Tournaments. Also during Perry’s tenure, the hockey team made it to nine ECAC playoff appearances in 15 years. He also brought the women’s basketball team to a Division I standing and gained NCAA Tournament berths five times in 12 years.
Ron has been an ECAC president (1993) and served on numerous ECAC committees such as executive council, finance and basketball awards. In 1997, the ECAC bestowed Perry with the Administrator of the Year Award at the Fall Convention and Honors Dinner. Not long after, in 2000, Perry received the James Lynah Distinguished Achievement Award presented annually to a maximum of four former ECAC athletic administrators who have achieved outstanding success in their career and have made an unusual contribution in the interest of intercollegiate athletics, the NCAA and the ECAC.