James Lynah Distinguished Achievement Award

In 1957, the Conference created the James Lynah Award in lasting appreciation of the important services rendered to the organization by the man for whom the prize is named. In 1935, Mr. Lynah, a Cornell graduate of the Class of 1905, was called out of retirement - which followed an eminently successful career in industry - to reorganize the athletic administrative program at his alma mater. While occupying the position of Director of Athletics at Cornell, he stimulated and led the movement which on January 1, 1938, established the Central office for Eastern Intercollegiate Athletics, the agency which ten years later became the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Thus, in honoring James Lynah, the ECAC is paying respects and giving thanks to its principle founder.

The James Lynah Distinguished Achievement Award is bestowed 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.  For the purposes of defining the position, an eligible candidate must have been an ECAC director, associate director or assistant director of athletics or senior woman administrator.
Candidates will be accepted following one full year of retirement and once nominated, will be eligible for election for a three year period.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Nominators must provide a biography, resume or vitae highlighting the following:
1. Active participation and leadership in affairs/committees of the ECAC, NCAA Management Council, NCAA championships committees, rules and other committees.
2. Evidence of a cooperative and caring attitude in offering their own professional and personal expertise and assistance to conference programs, services and member institutions.
3. Improvement of the athletics program at his or her institution without sacrifice of standards as well as improvement of the relationship between the athletics department and the administration of his or her institution.

Previous Recipients:

2016 Jack Grinold, Northeastern University
2015 Tom O'Connor, George Mason University
Jim Nelson, Suffolk University
Fredina Ingold, Penn State Altoona
2014 Edgar Johnson, University of Delaware
Frank McLaughlin, Fordham University
2013 John Biddescombe, Wesleyan University
Bill Eng, Baruch College
John Parente, Johnson & Wales University
2012 Dr. James Ciszek, University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Richard McKee, Colby College
2011 Alden H. "Whitey" Burnham, Dartmouth College
Roy Van Ness, The College of New Jersey (Formerly Trenton State College)
2010 Russ Reilly, Middlebury College
Jack Powers, Manhattan College
Nicholas Rodis, Brandeis University
Patricia Rogers, University at Albany
2009 Lauren Anderson, University of Rhode Island
Paul Bogan, Westfield State
John Simpson, Boston University
2008 Bob Burke, American International College
Arthur Eason, William Patterson University
Larry Schiner, New Jersey City University
Bob Sheldon, St. Lawrence University
2007 Curtis Blake, Rider University
  Rita Castagna, Assumption College
  Jake Crouthamel, Syracuse University
  G. Thomas Lawson, Middlebury College
2006 Herbert Gallagher, Northeastern University (posthumous)
  Thomas Murphy, Hamilton College/SUNY Institute of Technology/Northeastern University
  Sid Watson, Bowdoin College (posthumous)
2005 (none awarded)
2004 John Galaris, Salem State College
2003 Patrick Damore, State University of New York Athletic Conference
  John Spring, USILA
2002 William J. Cleary, Harvard University
  William Leete, University of New Haven
  Richard Sakala, Union College
2001 Bob Deming, Ithaca College
  Bill Marshall, Franklin & Marshall College
  Al Shields, Bentley College
  Dan Starr, Canisius College
2000 Linda E.Hopple, Middle Atlantic State Collegiate Athletic Corporation
  Bill Moore, Little East Conference
  Ron Perry, College of the Holy Cross
1999 Clayton Chapman, Former ECAC Commissioner
  Rocco Carzo, Tufts University
  Fred Gruniger, Rutgers University-New Brunswick
  Frank Rienzo, Georgetown University
1998 Joseph Barresi, College of Staten Island
  Mary Barrett, University of Massachusetts-Boston
  Raymond DeFranceso, Southern Connecticut State University
  Edward Markey, Saint Michael's College
1997 Irwin Cohen, Northeastern University
  Harold "Bud" Elwell, Gannon University
  Jack Reardon, Harvard University
  Richard Yoder, West Chester University
1996 Sam Howell, Princeton University
  Jack Kaiser, St. John's University
  Charles Luce, Connecticut College
  Fran Poisson, University of Bridgeport
1995 Robert Hatch, Bates College
  Denis Lambert, University of Vermont
  Lee Morrison, James Madison University
  Carl Ullrich, U.S. Military Academy/Patriot League
1994 George Bisacca, Fairfield University/NIT
  William "Buck" Lai, Long Island University
  Eleanor Lemaire, University of Rhode Island
  Al Paul, Columbia University
1993 Royce Flippin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  Tom Niland, Le Moyne College
  Milt Piepul, American International College
  Bob Sheilds, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1992 William Dioguardi, Montclair State University
  Andrew Laska, Assumption College
  Edwin Muto, University at Buffalo
  Dave Ocorr, University of Rochester/University of Scranton
  Harry Pure, Philadelphia University
  Jeanne Rowlands, Northeastern University
1991 William J. Flynn, Boston College
  Olav B. Kollevoll, Lafayette College
  Robert Latour, Bucknell University
  Rich Regan, Seton Hall University
  Donald Russell, Wesleyan University
1990 Edward Steitz, Springfield College
  John Tulley, Elizabethtown College
1989 Bo Coppedge, U.S. Naval Academy
  Will Renken, Albright College
  Scotty Whitelaw, ECAC
1988 Andy Mooradian, University of New Hampshire
  Davey Nelson, University of Delaware
  Rob Riedel, SUNY Geneseo
1987 Robert Frailey, American International College
  Russ Granger, Clark University
  John Toner, University of Connecticut
  John Winkin, University of Maine
1986 Ernie Casale, Temple University
  Raymond Whispell, Muhlenberg College
  Pete Carlesimo, University of Fordham/University of Scranton
  Hal Westerman, University of Maine
  Gib Holgate, Yale University
  Robert Priestley, Norwich University
1985 Red Brown, West Virginia University
  Dick Coleman, Middlebury College
  Danny Lynch, St. Francis College (NY)
  Mox Weber, Hamilton College
1984 Ben Carnevale, New York University
  George Hansel, Widener College
  Doc Jacobs, Saint Michael's College
  James McDermott, Iona College
  Seaver Peters, Dartmouth College
  Joe Zabilski, Northeastern University
1983 John Eiler, East Stroudsburg University
  Karl Kurth, Trinity College
  Sam Molnar, SUNY Potsdam
  William Stiles, Hobart College
  Gus Sullivan, University of Massachusetts-Boston
  Harvey Woods, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1982 Frank Carver, University of Pittsburgh
  "Taps" Gallagher, Niagara University
  Rev. John Horgan, Seton Hall University
  Duke Nelson, Middlebury College
  Raymond Oosting, Trinity College
  Bob Pritchard, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
1981 Rev. Aloysius B. Begley, Providence College
  John Bunn, Springfield College
  Ken Germann, Columbia University
  Kenneth A. Norton, Manhattan College
  Dudley W. Purdy, U.S. Naval Academy
  Charles R. Scott, University of Pennsylvania
  Ross H. Smith, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1980 Thomas D. Bolles, Harvard University
  J. Edward Donnelly, University of Vermont
  Peter Finnerty, Pace University
  Frank W. Keaney, University of Rhode Island
  Paul F. Mackesey, Brown University
  Robert L. Tierney, Queens College
1979 Delaney Kiphuth, Yale University
  Robert Kiphuth, Yale University
  James W. Liebertz, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
  R. Victor Stout, Boston University
  Albert W. Twitchell, Rutgers University-New Brunswick
1978 Harry Arlanson, Tufts University
1977 Robert J. Kane, Cornell University
1976 Thomas J. Hamilton, U.S. Naval Academy
  Wilford H. Ketz, Union College
  Robert A. Rolfe, Dartmouth College
  Adolph W. Samborski, Harvard University
1975 Jeremiah Ford II, University of Pennsylvania
  James J. Henry, La Salle Univesity
  Warren P. McGuirk, University of Massachusetts
  Edward S. Parsons, Northeastern University
1974 (none awarded)
1973 J. Shober Barr, Franklin & Marshall College
  James H. Decker, Syracuse University
  Eugene Flynn, College of the Holy Cross
  William A. Reid, Colgate University
1972 R. Kenneth Fairman, Princeton University
  William H. McCarther, Dartmouth College
  Walter T. McLaughlin, St. John's University
1971 John P. Curley, Boston College
  George L. Shiebler, ECAC
1970 Ralph J. Fure, Columbia University
  Ernest B. McCoy, Pennsylvania State University
1969 Henry T. Bream, Gettysburg College
  James A. McLane, Alfred University
1968 J. Orlean Christian, University of Connecticut
1967 Everett D. Barnes, Colgate University
1966 Percy L. Sadler, Lehigh University
1965 Lewis P. Andreas, Syracuse University
1964 H. Jamison Swarts, University of Pennsylvania
1963 Earl R. Yeomans, Temple University
1962 Harry, J. Rockafeller, Rutgers University-New Brunswick
1961 Clayton E. Bilheimer, Gettysburg College
1960 Clarence P. Houston, Tufts University
1959 Asa S. Bushnell, Princeton University
1958 John F. Coffey, Fordham University
1957 William J. Bingham, Harvard University