2020 LYCOMING COLLEGE SPRING MAGAZINE

From T the Presiden he beginnings of the athletics program at Lycoming College can be traced to the era of Williamsport Dickinson Seminary. The first men’s contest against a team from outside the Seminary is generally thought to have occurred in 1890 and there is a record of a women’s basketball team as early as 1927. For many decades, young men and women attending our beloved institution have competed in sports and learned lessons about leadership, teamwork, and resilience that have laid the foundation for successful careers and meaningful lives. Intercollegiate sports became a prominent feature of the Warrior experience after the institution became a four-year residential college in 1947. From the 1950s through the first decade of the 21st century, legendary coaches such as Budd Whitehill, Dutch Burch, and Frank Girardi shaped character while guiding teams to victories and titles. During my time in office, many alumni have told me that they owe a deep gratitude to these men and other coaches. Consistent with larger national trends, women’s athletics emerged as a prominent feature of the Lycoming experience somewhat later. With the adoption of Title IX in 1972, the number of women’s teams expanded rapidly. Since that time, many female graduates of the institution have benefitted from the life lessons learned from athletic competition. Today, Lycoming College is a member of Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). The College sponsors nine sports for men and eight for women and is considering the restoration of field hockey and baseball. Division III represents the best of collegiate athletics. None of the nearly 200,000 athletes competing at this level receive financial aid related to their athletic ability. They play because they are passionate about their sport and they deeply value their teammates, their coaches, and the thrill of competing. They are truly students, graduating at high rates and completing majors across the liberal arts and sciences curriculum. Not only is athletics an integral part of the educational program at Lycoming College, it also contributes in vital ways to our financial stability. Almost 40 percent of an entering class comes to Lycoming College both to receive a first-rate education and to compete on one of our sports teams. If Lycoming did not offer their sport, most of these young people would choose to attend another college. I am very pleased with the state of the athletics program at Lycoming. We are recruiting young men and women of character and we have assembled an outstanding coaching staff. Recent graduates have included All-Americans and Academic All-Americans. Multiple teams have won championships during the past seven years and a high percentage of our student athletes earn MAC Academic Honor Roll accolades every semester. In recent years the Warrior Club has emerged as a way of raising funds to supplement the athletic department budget. Alumni have responded very generously and the Warrior Club now raises about $250,000 a year to help enrich the athletic program. We are deeply grateful to the alumni who make these gifts. I hope you will join me on Lycoming’s second annual Day of Giving and make a gift to support one of our athletic teams, your passion, or the College more generally on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D. President 2 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2020 SPRING MAGAZINE