Fredina M. Ingold has led a distinguished career in athletics. She has seen and experienced the growth of women's athletics from the court to the sideline to the boardroom, while serving as a pioneer for women's sports.
Ingold played a critical role in the growth and development of Penn State Altoona's intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports programs after joining the staff in 1977.
She carried the Penn State Altoona Athletic Department to unprecedented heights during her 37-year tenure with the Lions.
Ingold led the Lions from junior college status to full NCAA Division III membership, helping the school gain admission to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). During her tenure, the total number of sports offered was expanded and there were multiple improvements to and construction of athletic facilities.
Ingold’s commitment to the university and intercollegiate athletics extended past her official responsibilities as director of athletics. In 2004, Ingold created the “Fredina M. Ingold Intercollegiate Athletics Enhancement Endowment,” which provides discretionary funds that are crucial to the advancement of intercollegiate athletics at Penn State Altoona.
Ingold’s service to collegiate athletics has stretched beyond Altoona however, as she served on a multitude of NCAA and ECAC committees throughout her career. She was a member of the NCAA Division III Management Council, NCAA Olympic Committee, NCAA Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee, chaired the NCAA Convention Planning Subcommittee, and the NCAA Academic Issues Subcommittee. Ingold also served a term as the chair of the ECAC Board of Directors.
As a result of her dedication to Penn State Altoona and collegiate athletics, Ingold has received multiple awards. In 2015, she was presented with the ECAC James Lynah Distinguished Achievement Award and in 2013, she received the ECAC Jostens Female Administrator of the Year Award. She was also named the 2009 Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year for the CNAA Division III Central Region, awarded annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).