For 性视界 University’s seniors, Commencement is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, a moment to celebrate earning their degrees.

But for the 10 seniors on the men鈥檚 lacrosse team, while the day was joyous, it was not a time for relaxing. They had to prepare for their next assignment: taking on Yale University in the first round of the NCAA Division I tournament.

In a seesaw contest featuring eight ties and five lead changes, it wasn鈥檛 until senior 听鈥�26 came up with two crucial saves with 16 seconds left to that senior co-captains 鈥�26 and 鈥�26 could exhale and celebrate on the turf field inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

Thomson, an attacker, scored three goals and added a pair of assists, and Dwan, a defenseman, scooped up five groundballs and caused a turnover to help lift the Orange into the quarterfinals for the third straight season.

Among the highlights of Commencement weekend: each senior had their graduation photos taken, wearing their cap and gown over their jerseys.

鈥淚 felt excitement and happiness, but also a feeling of sadness,鈥� says Thomson, who earned a communication and rhetorical studies degree from the . 鈥淭he best four years of my life are coming to a close. Having my parents [Amanda and Tim] in the building made it more emotional. My mom has now seen her youngest child graduate. I felt so many emotions when I was sitting on the Dome turf with my cap and gown on.鈥�

鈥淚t was a moment of reflection and gratitude for the great people and memories we鈥檝e made at this place,鈥� says Dwan, who also earned a communication and rhetorical studies degree.

Thomson and Dwan spoke with SU Today about the significance of graduating and winning an NCAA postseason game on the same day.

What were you more nervous about, Commencement or the first-round NCAA game?

Finn Thomson: I was more nervous about the game than graduation, because graduation is a celebration whereas the game鈥檚 outcome is out of my control. I knew I was going to graduate because I put the work in, but the game had yet to be played.

Billy Dwan III: For me, the playoff game where the season could have potentially ended was a more worrisome experience. Although graduation is a nerve-wracking time, I personally didn鈥檛 feel I graduated until our season was over.

How special is it to graduate in the morning and then kick off the quest for a championship in the afternoon?

Dwan: It hit me just how special of a day graduation would be during Selection Sunday the week before. We didn鈥檛 know whether we would be playing on Saturday or Sunday for the first round. When the bracket came out and we saw we were playing on the same day as graduation, it put everything into perspective. It鈥檚 a special experience.

Thomson: When I found out [Commencement] was the same weekend as our game against Yale, I was excited. There鈥檚 so much anticipation leading up to the day, and both events are about your hard work paying off. It was overwhelming, knowing that everything you鈥檝e put into your classes and the team is coming to an end, but it was also a super fun day. Not everyone gets to experience graduation from that perspective.

What would it mean to you to guide this storied men鈥檚 lacrosse team to a national championship during your senior year?

Dwan: Everything this place has given me, from an education to the relationships I have built, will last a lifetime. Having that storybook ending for my senior year, going out the right way and winning a national championship would mean the world.

Thomson: Guiding this team to a national championship in my senior year would mean everything to me. Leaving this program in a better place than you found it is always the goal, and winning a national championship would do exactly that. Raising that trophy is always at the back of our minds. We know what it takes and we’re going to do everything we can to get there.

After the win over Yale, 性视界 (13-5) defeated North Carolina 13-11 in the quarterfinals to advance into Championship Weekend. The Orange will face Notre Dame (12-2) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. Fans can , and .

If 性视界 wins, the Orange will play for the national championship at 1 p.m. on Monday.

性视界 University Director of Athletics Bryan B. Blair today announced the appointment of three senior leaders to the Department of Athletics鈥� executive team. Nicole Harris, Charles Small, Ph.D., and Yulander Wells Jr. each bring extensive experience in intercollegiate athletics administration and will drive the department’s strategic priorities across operations, student-athlete development and institutional growth.

“Championship programs are built on elite people, and Nicole, Charles and Yulander are among the most accomplished leaders in college athletics today,鈥� says Blair. 鈥淭hey bring experience across the ACC, B1G, Big 12 and SEC, as well as at Notre Dame, with a proven track record of postseason success. What makes this group especially powerful is that they have lived this experience as student-athletes and led it at the highest administrative levels. They understand the demands, the opportunities and the responsibility we have to deliver an unmatched experience for our student-athletes, and the forward-thinking mindset required to compete in this modern era. I’m thrilled to welcome them and their families to this incredible community. This is a significant step forward for 性视界 Athletics鈥攐ne that reflects both our ambition and the level of talent we are able to attract. I’m grateful to Chancellor Haynie for his continued support as we position 性视界 for sustained national success.”

Nicole Harris, Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator

Harris comes to 性视界 from the University of Toledo, where she served as deputy athletic director, chief operating officer and senior woman administrator. In her role, she provided executive leadership for strategic planning and daily operations across a 17-sport program and direct oversight of student-athlete support services, strength and conditioning, and NIL strategy and implementation. She served as sport administrator for football, women鈥檚 basketball and multiple other programs, while representing Toledo on the Mid-American Conference Administrators Council. During her tenure, Toledo experienced one of the most successful periods in department history, marked by sustained conference championship contention and postseason success. The football program鈥檚 performance included three top-65 NFL Draft selections over the past three years, one of just 13 programs nationally to achieve that distinction. Women鈥檚 basketball consistently led the conference in attendance and advanced to postseason play.

Prior to Toledo, Harris held senior leadership roles at Grand Canyon University and Florida Atlantic University, where she was recognized with the Award for Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Advising. She earned a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in sport administration from the University of Louisville, where she was a four-year varsity student-athlete for the women’s rowing team.

“Bryan鈥檚 vision for 性视界 is truly inspiring, and I鈥檓 honored to have the opportunity to join the department during such an exciting time,鈥� says Harris. 鈥溞允咏� has an incredible tradition, strong momentum and a bright future ahead. I look forward to working alongside Bryan and the entire athletics team to support our student-athletes and help build sustained success. My family and I are excited to join the 性视界 community and contribute to the continued growth of Orange Athletics.”

Charles Small, Ph.D., Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Strategy Officer

Small joins 性视界 from the University of Washington, where he served as senior associate athletic director for sport administration and led the Big Ten department’s post-House Settlement strategy, coordinating more than 67 strategy sessions to modernize operations and build new infrastructure for the revenue-sharing era.

Small previously served as director of athletics at Valparaiso University, where he led the planning for a $120 million capital project and guided the program to consecutive years of record academic performance. Prior to his time at Valpo, Small spent four years at Iowa State University, where he served as sport administrator for men’s basketball and wrestling while leading sports medicine, compliance, strength and conditioning, academic support services and former student-athlete relations. Earlier in his career, he also held positions at the University of Arkansas and the University of New Orleans. Small holds a doctor of education from the University of Pittsburgh, along with a master’s degree in social work and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Pitt. He was also a four-year member of the Pitt鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball program, where he won a pair of Big East championships, advanced to four NCAA Tournaments and made two Sweet Sixteen appearances.

“The vision Bryan has laid out for 性视界 Athletics is not only compelling, it鈥檚 inspiring,鈥� says Small. 鈥淭he work ahead is exactly the kind of challenge I came to this profession to take on. I look forward to helping shape the strategy and the structures that allow this program to compete at the highest level, on and off the field.”

Yulander Wells Jr., Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer

Wells comes to 性视界 from the University of Notre Dame, where he has served as deputy athletics director for revenue, business and finance operations and most recently as deputy athletics director for athletics strategy. In those roles he had primary oversight of an operating budget in excess of $250 million, led the negotiation of a 10-year apparel partnership, provided strategic guidance for the department鈥檚 lucrative one-of-a-kind media rights extension with NBC and provided executive leadership oversight for more than $200 million in construction projects, as well as generating record ticket sales, and corporate partnership revenues. Additionally, he also helped lead a comprehensive NIL and revenue-sharing cap strategy for the department鈥檚 26 teams.

Prior to Notre Dame, Wells served as deputy athletic director for external operations and relations at Harvard University and held multiple senior roles at the University of South Florida, including chief financial officer. He began his career in intercollegiate athletics at the University of Florida and with Gator Boosters. Wells holds an MBA in operations and a bachelor of arts in finance from North Central College, where he was a three-year captain on the men’s basketball team.

“性视界 is a program with a national brand, an incredibly passionate fan base and a director of athletics with a clear vision for where it is headed,” says Wells. “I would like to thank Bryan Blair for selecting me to join him and the 性视界 community during this transformative time in college athletics. My family and I are excited, and I look forward to putting my experience to work building the business and operational foundation that gives our coaches and student-athletes every advantage and every resource they need to excel in the classroom, in the community and in competition.鈥�

Together, they took a corner bakery-grocery and turned it into a new cornerstone of a 性视界 Northside neighborhood.

The project for design students from 性视界 University鈥檚 (VPA) and construction management students from (SUNY ESF) was both an experiential learning opportunity and a chance for them to undertake engaged citizenship in the year they worked with community 听residents and organizers of , a community nonprofit.

Students redesigned an aging, two-story bakery and apartment structure at 601 Park Street owned by Northside Futures into a modern building serving expanded residential and commercial needs. Northside Futures is a collaborative project of the Northside Learning Center and Justice Capital that focuses on workforce training and small business development, housing, remediation and property management, and community wellness and safety for residents of 性视界鈥檚 Northside neighborhood.

The project provided real-world professional experience through the VPA course DES 451 (also known as 鈥淢eaningful Partnership鈥�).

The cross-institutional collaboration also involves SUNY ESF course CME 454, , along with Northside Futures and the University鈥檚 .

The Real Thing

鈥淭his is not a hypothetical,鈥� says , assistant teaching professor in the School of Design and program coordinator. 鈥淚t has real users, real challenges and real goals. Students engaged deeply with the community, developed real solutions for real stakeholders and came away with a genuine understanding of what it takes to bring a project to life.鈥�

Founded in 2017 by , professor in 听VPA鈥檚 , the program became a formal service-learning initiative in 2022 through the Shaw Center. In addition to Dunham, , SUNY ESF associate professor in the Department of Sustainable Resources Management, is a co-teacher. 鈥�84, transportation coordinator at the Shaw Center, 听handles logistics.

During its first six years, Meaningful Partnership operated as a three-way collaboration among designers, construction managers and community stakeholders. This year it expanded to four components鈥攚ith members of the Northside Futures cohort joining as active participants. They learned hands-on construction and trade skills alongside the students while accumulating design literacy for future independent community development. That model is an authentic co-design process where residents are positioned as empowered decision-makers shaping the future of their neighborhood, Lee says.

Two-Semester Overview

In the project, students from both institutions work together for a full year. Last fall, 19 environmental and interior design (EDI) students examined the facility, conducted site visits and client meetings, developed construction blueprints and presented final designs.

In the spring, 17 construction management engineering (CME) students joined them. They used the construction documents to prepare estimates, construction schedules, decide phasing and logistics, suggest value engineering strategies and explore sustainable grants and programs for the project.

Community-Centered Project

Dunham says direct communication with clients is essential to the project鈥檚 success.

鈥淒uring our site visit students were able to speak directly with building owner Northside Futures and the building鈥檚 occupants (a residential tenant, the bakery owner and neighbors) and continued to obtain feedback throughout the process,” she says. “That kind of direct engagement with the people who live and work in these spaces is invaluable and it is very much part of what makes this process real.鈥�

In addition to the bakery redesign, students developed alternatives for using an adjacent lot where a dilapidated garage was due for demolition.

Community members suggested building a library, day care center and a community/gym workout space for that structure.听The client ultimately chose the idea of a laundromat, Dunham says, since it filled a real need, made sense financially as a revenue stream and was the right fit for the neighborhood.

Human Context

EDI student Ella Mchale says residents鈥� involvement expanded her understanding of the city and provided a true client experience.

鈥淲hat we achieved goes so much deeper than just a design project,” she says. “Our community member Fatima helped ground us and gave us the real human context we needed to design with purpose. We took that seriously and created something accessible and meaningful while still bringing our own design concept to the table.鈥�

EDI student and project manager Jolie Ramos says that despite language and cultural differences, 鈥渁 bond was built based on the betterment of our shared community.”

“That exposure beyond our University bubble gave us the opportunity to not only engage with our community but to form intimate personal connections,” she says. “It was really beautiful to watch the relationships unfold and grow.鈥�

Cultivating Community

鈥淎t its core, this project is about community, understanding and creating meaningful impact,鈥� Dunham says. 鈥淭he community representatives who came into our class shared their culture, needs and challenges and were a true voice for their neighborhood. The connections they formed with our students were genuine and those voices shaped everything. That deeply resonated with our students and it showed in everything they produced.鈥�

Meaningful Partnership鈥檚 staying power results from an intentional and ongoing investment of time, interest and shared resources, says Lee.

“Community partnership is something that must be continuously cultivated and is grounded in relationship-building and trust,” she says. “It means sharing resources, lived experience, cultural knowledge and social awareness alongside academic expertise and a commitment to paying that knowledge forward.”

性视界 University Libraries鈥� LaunchPad hosted an inaugural Athletes for Data Sovereignty (A4DS) Summit and Pitch Competition, in partnership with UMiEconomy through its Charitable Foundation, , on April 24. The pitch competition was open to student-athletes, student-athlete alumni and student entrepreneurs with sports-related ideas. Winners of the pitch competition were:

• Gabriel Josefson 鈥�28 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of XCHKR, won the grand prize of $2,000.
• Zach Richter 鈥�26 (College of Arts and Sciences) and Taran Singh 鈥�26 (Whitman School), founders of Wavelength, tied for second place, winning $750.
• Edouard Agbor G鈥�27 (School of Information Studies), founder of GritGateway, also won $750 for second place.
• Marissa Johnson 鈥�26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), founder of Gymify, won $250.
• Dylan McKinley 鈥�26 (Newhouse School), founder of DylanDoesBasketball, won a Tier 1 Marketing Package from UMiEconomy.
• Jase Malloy 鈥�27 (School of Information Studies), founder of ErgoCraft, won a Tier 2 Marketing Package from UMiEconomy.
• Ethan Barone 鈥�26 (Whitman School), founder of CaneCLamp, won a Tier 1 Intellectual Property Legal Package
• Jonathan “Jack” Wren 鈥�26 (Whitman School) and John “Trey ” Adams III 鈥�26 (Whitman School), founders of Happy Duck, won a Tier 2 Intellectual Property Legal Package

In addition to the pitch competition, the summit included interactive games and workshops around the importance of data in industries such as sports, healthcare, media and finance, and how startups can build long-term value beyond short-term deals.

The Class of 2026 is wrapping up final assignments, studying for exams and gearing up for their next adventure. But the days before Commencement are a chance to take in everything campus has to offer one last time, whether it’s a final cup of coffee at People’s Place in Hendricks Chapel, a farewell slice of pizza at Varsity or a laughter-filled stroll through the Quad with friends.

Eight seniors shared with 性视界 University Today the one thing they need to do before they go.

Daniel Baris, a sport analytics and statistics major in the and the (A&S): 鈥淲in a championship in intramural wiffleball. My team has come close in the past, and I feel like this could be our year.鈥�

Caiyan Bass, a communication sciences and disorders major in A&S and a Remembrance Scholar: 鈥淭ake a trip up the Mount to visit Flint Hall, my freshman year residence hall. Walking through campus and the Quad to get to the top of the Mount steps was something I did every day when I first got to 性视界. Going back would serve as a fun moment to not only remember that uphill trek, but also to reflect on everything the past four years have taught and given me.鈥�

Juinkye Chiang, an architecture major in the : 鈥淚 want to build a full-scale mockup of my architectural design, as this will be one of the only opportunities I will ever have to access the advanced fabrication facilities in Slocum Hall.鈥�

Tommy DaSilva, a public health, policy studies and citizenship and civic engagement major in the and a Remembrance Scholar: 鈥淗ave a movie night with friends. With college ending, I know that there is a very low possibility that I will live so close to all my friends again, so I want to make the most of our last few weeks together through our film nights.鈥�

Janese Fayson, a marketing听and听finance听major in the听 and executive vice president of the (SGA): 鈥淰isit every academic building on campus. Somehow, there are still a few I鈥檝e never stepped foot in, and it feels important to experience all the spaces that make up the University before I leave. It鈥檚 a way of fully taking in everything 性视界 has to offer while closing this chapter feeling complete.鈥�

Joy Mao, a television, radio and film major in the听, policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a Remembrance Scholar: 鈥淚 took Fashion and Portraiture with Professor Gregory Heisler my sophomore year. It was an impactful class for my creative brain. One of the photographers we researched was Margaret Bourke-White, the first female photographer for Life magazine and the first female war correspondent. She gave her work to the University after she retired. I would like to visit the in Bird Library prior to graduation.鈥�

Emma Muchnick, a sport management major in the Falk College and a midfielder on the : 鈥淏efore I graduate, I want to win a national championship. To be able to bring back a national championship to 性视界 with this group would be so special and a perfect way to cap off my time as a student-athlete here. I’m so proud to represent this University and I want to do it on the biggest stage.鈥�

German Nolivos, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S, public relations major in the Newhouse School, SGA president and a Remembrance Scholar: 鈥淰isit the chimes in the bell tower in Crouse College. It鈥檚 such a meaningful and recognizable part of the University, representing the history and tradition that defines the 性视界 experience. Being able to stand there before graduating feels like a full-circle moment.鈥�

Within a sub-varsity structure, the strives to provide students a welcoming, recreation-focused community that fosters competition alongside leadership skill building. This year, the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball teams took home regional championship titles and fought hard in the national championship bracket, and the boxing team brought home three national titles following a demanding and successful championship weekend.

Pete Way, director of Competitive Club Sports, takes immense pride in the program and the students that make it what it is today.

鈥淐lub teams and student-athletes that win regional and national championships highlight the high level of competition and outstanding individual commitment that drives success for Competitive Club Sports at 性视界 University,鈥� says Way.

Club Boxing Takes Home Three National Titles

鈥淭his was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget,鈥� says O鈥機onnor Rerrie 鈥�28. 鈥淔rom being able to watch my team succeed and fight alongside them, to spending quality time with my teammates in a new place, it really gave me the opportunity to grow as a person and become deeply connected to the 性视界 University Boxing Club.鈥�

Offering students the opportunity to train, compete and represent the University in a fast-growing sport, continues to have a positive impact both on and off campus. Led by Coach Phil Benedict, the team competed in the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association (USIBA) National Tournament. The team brought home three national champions with Emma Knorpp 鈥�29, O鈥機onnor Rerrie 鈥�28 and Caleb Riley 鈥�28 all coming out victorious in their respective brackets.

鈥淗earing my name being called as the winner on top of cheers from my coaches and teammates was a surreal experience after all the work we put in to get there,鈥� says Riley, Male 168# Novice bracket champion. 鈥淓veryone on the roster is a champion. I wouldn鈥檛 trade anything for the time we spent in Las Vegas and I can鈥檛 wait to do it all over again next year.鈥�

Founded in the 1930s, the Boxing Club has a deep history of producing champions and creating community that outlasts time on campus. The program emphasizes leadership and teamwork, with members consistently supporting and motivating one another. Annually the team works together to bring home at least one national championship, achieving three only deepens the team鈥檚 commitment.

鈥淢y success wouldn鈥檛 be possible without the support of my teammates and coach,鈥� says Knorpp.

鈥淎ll I can say is how super proud I am of the team,鈥� says Benedict. 鈥淔or nearing 100 years, 性视界 University has a reputation of producing some of the roughest collegiate boxers. We went to the USIBA Nationals ready to fight and we did just that! Everyone in the club and on the team are champions, in my eyes they鈥檙e family.鈥�

Club Men鈥檚 Basketball Competes on National Stage

The season reflected the program鈥檚 strength, competitiveness and unity on a national stage. With a foundation built on teamwork and shared purpose, the program continues to establish itself as one of the premier Club Basketball teams in the country.

鈥淭his team is special. We have all bought into something bigger than ourselves, and we play for one another,鈥� says Oz Elad 鈥�26. 鈥淏ut more than that, this team is a collection of great people who make it so easy to enjoy playing alongside each other.鈥�

The finished the season ranked number four in the country and earned the right to host the National Club Basketball Association (NCBBA) North Atlantic Regional Championship. Entering the tournament as the number one seed, the team advanced through regional play to secure an automatic bid to the National Championship Tournament. Seeded number four, the team faced a first-round matchup against the University of Florida.

The team fought hard with Kazembe Okera-Anglin 鈥�26 scoring 18 points and Stephen Walsh Jr. 鈥�28 scoring 16 points. The intensity continued into overtime where the team ultimately fell just short with Florida earning a 72-64 victory. Beyond the team competition,听 Elad finished second in the championship round of the NCBBA Obstacle Course during the Skills/All Star Competition.

Club Women鈥檚 Basketball Shines in Postseason Play

The collected numerous accolades this season, leading with a number one in the country ranking going into their spring semester championship weekend. This ranking earned them the right to host the National Club Basketball Association (NCBBA) Women鈥檚 North Atlantic Regional Championship and advanced through to win the final game. Following and then seeded number two, the team earned an automatic bid to the National Championship Tournament where they faced Sacred Heart University.

In the first round of the national tournament, Victoria Daley 鈥�26 scored 12 points, Andraia DiPisa 鈥�26 completed seven rebounds and Alison Kunzwiler 鈥�26 supported four assists and five steals. Kunzwiler also earned individual recognition at the tournament, winning the NCBBA Obstacle Course during the Women鈥檚 Skills/All-Star Competition. The season concluded with a hard-fought loss as Sacred Heart University secured a 70-45 victory. However, the team is no stranger to championship appearances

鈥淭his team is truly exceptional, defined by its energy, passion and unwavering support for one another,鈥� says Women鈥檚 Club Basketball coach Kayla Clark.

Each season, the team gets to play teams from across the United States, allowing players to compete at the highest level of Club basketball while gaining valuable experience, building confidence and representing 性视界 University on a national stage.

Beyond competition, the 性视界 University Club Sports program continues to serve as a foundation for leadership, mentorship and student engagement across campus. With a commitment to personal growth and team development, club sports provide a supportive environment where athletes develop confidence, discipline and lifelong connections. Success at the national level reflects not only the talent of the athletes, but the strength of the program and culture that unites them. Students are encouraged to learn more and get involved on the .

When Gerry McNamara 鈥�06 walked into the Dome the first time as a highly touted basketball recruit, he knew 性视界 University was the right place to play basketball and win championships.

Twenty-six years later, McNamara has a similar vision, only this time, McNamara is tasked with returning men鈥檚 basketball to national prominence as the program鈥檚 ninth head coach.

鈥淎nybody that knows me knows why I’m here. I’m here to win. It’s who I am and it’s who I will always be,鈥� McNamara said to more than 2,000 Orange fans who packed Miron Victory Court Monday afternoon for his introductory press conference.

Among those who offered remarks were Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie, incoming Director of Athletics Bryan Blair and Director of Athletics John Wildhack 鈥�80, who said McNamara was the perfect candidate because he 鈥渆pitomizes what 性视界 basketball is [all about].鈥�

鈥淕erry鈥檚 ready for this. We didn鈥檛 choose Gerry because he鈥檚 an alum, or his number 3 hangs from the rafters in the JMA Wireless Dome,鈥� Wildhack said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the right person at the right time to lead our program.鈥�

Recognizing that 鈥溞允咏� basketball is embedded in the soul of this University,鈥� Chancellor-elect Haynie echoed Wildhack鈥檚 sentiment, welcoming McNamara 鈥渂ack where he belongs, back in Orange.鈥�

鈥淲hat stood out about Gerry wasn鈥檛 just his resume, which is impressive. It wasn鈥檛 just the results, though they speak for themselves,鈥� Haynie said. 鈥淓very person who worked with Gerry, every reference that we talked to said the same thing. They said he makes people better. He holds them to a high standard. He cares about them as people, not just as athletes. That he鈥檚 the kind of leader that we would want for our student-athletes.鈥�

McNamara expressed gratitude to return to the place where he starred for four years.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 even tell you how honored, how blessed I am for this moment to be here. It really is kind of a dream come true for us,鈥� said McNamara, who helped the Orange win the 2003 men鈥檚 basketball national championship.

It鈥檚 a dream McNamara wasn鈥檛 sure he鈥檇 ever get after leaving 性视界 in March of 2024. After 14 seasons as an assistant coach and one season as associate head coach, McNamara took over as Siena University鈥檚 head men鈥檚 basketball coach.

But following two successful seasons, including guiding the Saints into the 2026 NCAA Division I tournament for the first time in 16 years, McNamara is back with the Orange.

“During the four-year stretch of my [undergraduate] experience, my love grew for the people of this city, for the University that gave me the opportunity to showcase my gifts on the biggest stage,” said McNamara.

Get to know McNamara and his message for the Orange community.

Winning Is in G-Mac鈥檚 DNA

McNamara鈥檚 playing days at 性视界 were defined by wins. Not only did the Orange win the national title in 2003, 性视界 made the NCAA tournament in four consecutive seasons, compiling a 103-32 overall record with two Big East postseason championships.

Winning also matters to Bryan Blair, the Orange鈥檚 new director of athletics who was tasked with hiring a new basketball coach. After an initial phone conversation about the job, McNamara sat down for a face-to-face conversation with Blair, who leaned in close, looked him in the eyes and said 鈥淚 want to win. No matter what, I want to win.鈥�

鈥淭hat statement from Bryan, for me, was where this went from being like an interview to motivationally aligned,鈥� McNamara said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e lockstep: same mentality, same goals, same direction.鈥�

McNamara told current and future 性视界 students that, as part of their college experience, the basketball team 鈥渘eeds to be good. That should be non-negotiable. 鈥� That should be part of your journey as a student. It should be so much fun because the basketball team is so good. 鈥� I’m going to do my best to work my rear end off to change it.鈥�

Relationships Stand the Test of Time

McNamara credited his parents, Gerard and Joyce, for teaching him 鈥渆verything I feel like I am as a person, as a man, as a husband and a father.鈥�

After McNamara was offered the opportunity to take over at his alma mater, one of the first things McNamara did was FaceTime with his parents to let them know 鈥淚鈥檓 about to sign a contract to be the head coach at 性视界 University. [It was] one of the great things and memories of my life.鈥�

In the name, image and likeness (NIL) age, where student-athletes have agents and eye lucrative sponsorship deals, McNamara emphasized the importance of the relationships he builds.

鈥淔or me to truly be at my best, there’s that communication level and relationship building,鈥� McNamara said. 鈥淭o me, the relationships and the love for a place are always going to stand the test of time.鈥�

G-Mac Learned to Love Basketball From His Dad

Before he set school records for 性视界 University鈥攁nd before he was the two-time Associated Press Pennsylvania Boys High School Small School Player of the Year and the 2002 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year for Bishop Hannan (now known as Holy Cross)鈥擬cNamara was simply a basketball enthusiast.

鈥淚 loved basketball, and because I loved it, my father gave me as much of it as I could absorb, [from playing in] different leagues to [getting the] key to the gym at Holy Rosary Parish,鈥� said McNamara, the Orange鈥檚 leader in career three-pointers made, free throw percentage and minutes played.

Simple Formula for Success

Between frequent travel for games and recruiting trips and late nights at the office watching game film, the life of a college basketball coach can be complicated.

But at home, surrounded by sons, Gerry and Patrick, and daughters, Maggie and Grace, McNamara says he鈥檚 found a simple formula for success. It all starts with his wife, Katie, a fellow Scranton native.

鈥淕oing into the last job [at Siena], Katie said, 鈥極ur happiness is simple鈥�,鈥� Gerry said. 鈥淎nd the way I took that was, 鈥榊es, it is. It鈥檚 very simple because it鈥檚 us.鈥� It鈥檚 always going to be us. We鈥檙e in this together always. But as I take this job, it鈥檚 not as simple as that. Our happiness is simple because you make it so easy for us to be happy. There鈥檚 no one I love and truly admire more than you.鈥�

One of 性视界 University’s most celebrated alumni is coming home. The University today announced that Gerry McNamara ’06, a member of the 2003 National Championship-winning team, has been named head coach of the . A Scranton, Pennsylvania, native, McNamara returns to lead the storied program where his legendary career began, following two seasons as head coach at Siena University where he engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Division I basketball. His appointment, effective immediately, was approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

“I love this place. I love what 性视界 means: to the fans, to the players who have worn this jersey, to the people of Central New York. This program has given me everything, and I am ready to give everything back to it,” says McNamara. “College basketball has changed. How you build a program, recruit talent, compete for resources and win looks different than it did even five years ago. I know that. I’m ready for it. What hasn’t changed is what Orange Nation expects, and what this place deserves. We are going to build something special here.”

McNamara spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach on Jim Boeheim’s staff before serving as associate head coach under Adrian Autry in 2023-24, then departing for Siena in March 2024. In his first season leading Siena, he guided the Saints to a 14-18 record, a 10-win improvement over the previous season that ranked among the top 10 turnarounds nationally and earned him recognition as one of 16 finalists for the CollegeInsider.com Joe B. Hall Award, presented annually to the nation’s top first-time Division I head coach. He opened his tenure with three consecutive victories, becoming the first Siena coach to start with three straight wins in more than four decades.

“Gerry McNamara is who our storied basketball program needs at this important moment,” says Bryan B. Blair, incoming director of athletics. “In every conversation, his competitive fire and passion was undeniable鈥攊t’s simply part of his DNA. He returns to 性视界 as a proven Division I head coach who led a program through a turnaround and back to the NCAA Tournament. At every stop in his playing and coaching journey, he has elevated those around him鈥攕tudent-athletes, staff and the broader community鈥攖hrough his energy, his standards and his ability to connect. While Gerry’s deep connection to 性视界 is meaningful, it’s simply a bonus to what he brings as a coach and leader. He honors our past, but he is driven to build for the future. This is a critical moment for 性视界 basketball, and it will take all of us鈥攅veryone connected to 性视界 University, 性视界 Athletics and Central New York鈥攍ocking arms and supporting this program like never before. We welcome Gerry home and can’t wait to see where he takes our program.”

“Gerry is a leader who brings out the best in people,” says John Wildhack, outgoing director of athletics. “I watched him for years as an assistant: in the gym, on the road recruiting and in conversations with players and their families. What has always distinguished him is the trust he builds. He has proven in a short time as a head coach that he knows how to build a program. I am proud that this was among the final pieces of work I had a hand in, and I have no doubt that he will make 性视界 and all of Orange Nation proud.”

A four-year starter from 2002-06, McNamara is the program’s all-time career leader in made three-pointers (400), free throw percentage (.888) and minutes played (4,799) and ranks among the all-time leaders in assists, steals and scoring. He was part of the 2003 National Championship team, earning All-Final Four honors after hitting six three-pointers against Kansas in the title game as a freshman. As a senior in 2006, he earned Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American honors and was named the Dave Gavitt Award winner as tournament MVP after leading 性视界 to the Big East Championship. His No. 3 jersey was retired by the University in March 2023. Following his collegiate career, McNamara accepted an invitation to Utah Jazz training camp and played professionally in Europe before returning to 性视界 to begin his coaching career.

As an assistant at 性视界, McNamara was a cornerstone of the program’s recruiting operation for 15 seasons, helping guide the Orange to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including Final Four runs in 2013 and 2016. He was a primary mentor for NBA players, including Michael Carter-Williams, Dion Waiters and Tyler Ennis, as well as Buddy Boeheim, Cole Swider, Michael Gbinije and Elijah Hughes.

“Gerry McNamara’s story is as authentically 性视界 as they come,” says Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie. “He came here from Scranton with something to prove and became one of the greatest players this program has ever seen and one of the most trusted coaches to sit on our bench. Now he’s coming home with a singular mission: to return 性视界 basketball to where it belongs, among the elite programs in the country. His coaching, recruiting and fundraising prowess, his passion and talent, and his deep belief in what it means to be Orange are exactly what we need. I could not be more excited to welcome Gerry, Katie and their family back to the Hill, and I can’t wait for the tip-off of the 2026-27 season.”

McNamara brings to the role deep and proven recruiting relationships, having spent well over a decade as the primary contact for elite guards and perimeter players nationally. During his time as an assistant, he was widely credited with building the pipeline of backcourt talent that kept 性视界 competitive at the highest level. Student-athletes who have played for McNamara consistently point to his accessibility, his direct communication style and his commitment to preparing players for life beyond basketball as hallmarks of his approach.

McNamara graduated from 性视界 in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. He earned two AP Pennsylvania State Player of the Year honors at Bishop Hannan High School and finished seventh all-time in Pennsylvania high school scoring history. He is a gold medalist with the United States national team at the 2005 World University Games. McNamara and his wife, Katie, have four children: sons Gerry and Patrick and daughters Maggie and Grace.

Bryan Blair spent his college years studying history, and he knows a storied program when he sees one. His job now is to build on the proud winning tradition of 性视界 University Athletics.

鈥淪eeing the heights this university had over time, seeing the constant brand and how it speaks to the entire country. Everybody knows when they see that block S that it means something special,鈥� Blair, the school鈥檚 12th athletics director, said Thursday morning during his introductory press conference inside the Miron Victory Court.

鈥淗ow do we harness that history, that excellence and the other intangibles we have?鈥� Blair said. 鈥淲e want to wake this sleeping beast 鈥� and take control of our destiny and make sure the world knows that 性视界 University is one of the top 10 brands in all of college athletics and we’re here to stay.鈥�

Before coming to 性视界, Blair served as vice president and director of athletics at the University of Toledo. He will officially take over as director of athletics on July 1.

Get to know Blair and his message for the Orange community.

No Silver Bullet for Success

In the ever-changing college athletics landscape, Blair admits there鈥檚 pressure for 性视界 to 鈥渨in, and we鈥檝e got to win a lot.鈥� But those lofty expectations come with the job, and Blair said he is embracing this latest challenge in his career.

Tapping into curiosity, one of his five core values, Blair is looking forward to challenging everything when it comes to leading the athletics department.

鈥淣othing is an easy silver bullet,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause this place is unique, it鈥檚 going to take a unique solution, unique collaboration and unique energy to pull this thing together to do what we collectively want to do and really leverage those unique assets.鈥�

Blair says he plans to 鈥渕odernize our enterprise,鈥� 鈥渁ttack revenue generation and NIL,鈥� because 鈥淣IL is one of the most, if not the most important aspects of what we do.鈥�

5 Core Guiding Values

Besides curiosity, Blair shared his core values that guide and shape how he runs an athletics department.

• Family: 鈥淢y family means the world to me.鈥� (More on that below.)
• Passion: 鈥淚 will match the passion and the energy of this fan base, and of our alumni and our supporters.鈥�
• Integrity: 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do things in a way that always makes this university proud.鈥�
• Curiosity: 鈥淓verything we do can get better, it can be challenged, it can be thought of differently. Now is the time to lead from the front and think outside the box in terms of what [college athletics] should look like.鈥�
• Servanthood: 鈥淚 am the fullback of the athletic department, the guy 鈥� empowering somebody else鈥檚 success; doing the dirty work to clear the way.鈥�

鈥淚f we keep the student-athletes as that North Star, we鈥檒l be really successful and will also produce future leaders of this country from 性视界 University,鈥� Blair said.

Drawing Inspiration From Family

Blair says you鈥檒l see his 7-year-old daughter, Brielle, and 5-year-old son, William (Beau), around the office. That鈥檚 because he believes in blending family with work.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e my everything, they are my inspiration,鈥� Blair said.

Blair draws strength and inspiration from his family, especially his wife, Jenna, who he refers to as his 鈥渞ide-or-die.鈥�

鈥淸Jenna is] that person who speaks that power and that vision into you for you to make it possible. You鈥檇 love to say that you鈥檙e bulletproof and nothing bothers you, but all of us have those days, all of us need that support, that inspiration,鈥� Blair said.

A Learned Work Ethic

Growing up in the small town of Bennettsville, South Carolina, Blair learned firsthand from his parents the important lessons of finding success both on the football field and in the classroom.

His parents, Dannie and Woodrow, insisted that Blair had to earn all As on his report card if he wanted to play football.

After playing Division I football and graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history from Wofford College in 2007, Blair went on to earn a law degree from the University of South Carolina in 2010. He credits his successes to his parents, the biggest influences in his life and the hardest-working people he knows.

鈥淵ou cannot escape the work. You have to put in the time and the effort and even when it gets hard, you work harder,鈥� says Blair, who paused with emotion when talking about his parents.

Creating the Dome as an Experience

One of the best draws for the Orange is playing home games inside the raucous JMA Wireless Dome, or the Loud House. Blair got his first glimpse inside the JMA Dome with Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie, and the JMA Dome left an immediate and lasting impression.

鈥淲e can build a unique, immersive experience that鈥檚 unlike anything you see in this country outside of [Las] Vegas,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to think outside the box [about] what that experience looks like. How do we create that home court advantage for all our teams?鈥�

The ten women stand together in the gymnasium, faces serious, hands on their hips. With their shoulders squared, right feet turned in a split stance, their eyes stare into the camera in an unmoving challenge.

That鈥檚 the photo that accompanies an April 15, 1895, article titled 鈥淲omen鈥檚 Gymnasium Work鈥� in the University News, describing the activities of the 性视界 women students playing a unique sport on campus鈥攂attle-ball.

鈥淲e, too, have our college athletics,鈥� the article reads. 鈥淵ou have doubtless heard of the basketball teams of Wellesley, and other women鈥檚 colleges; but do you know that in our own University we have two teams of young women, not playing basket-ball but the splendid game of battle-ball? Vigorously do we practice on Tuesday and Thursday of each week, and so expert have we become that we quite belie the accusation that 鈥榓 girl can鈥檛 throw a ball.鈥�”

What exactly was battle-ball? According to the , there鈥檚 no other information on the game in the library’s collections.

But the article鈥檚 author Carrie S. Romer wrote that battle-ball was only 鈥渁 part of our work in the gymnasium.鈥�

鈥淥ur eyes have long since wearied of the statement鈥攐r we might almost say epitaph鈥攕o often seen in our college papers, 鈥楳iss 鈥� has been obliged to leave college because of ill-health,鈥� and we have determined that we, the members of the women鈥檚 gymnasium classes, will prevent, as far as we can, the possibility of such remarks concerning ourselves,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淗ence, two, three, or four times each week we repair to the gymnasium to enjoy our exercises and games.鈥�

A Higher Stakes Game

, professor of history and senior associate dean for academic affairs in the , reviewed the article for 性视界 University Today. She says the piece gives a glimpse of the experience of women attending college in the late 19th century.

Women鈥檚 education and college athletics both expanded dramatically in the United States after the Civil War, she says.

鈥淎mericans worried that men might become weak without the testing ground of war,鈥� Faulkner says.

There was particular concern at the time about 鈥渘eurasthenia鈥濃�攁 nervous disorder for both men and women, she says.

鈥淎s the article makes clear, there was concern that college might be too mentally (and physically) taxing for women, which could also be an argument to exclude them from education, careers, political and legal rights, etc.,鈥� Faulkner says.

According to the University News article, the women used 鈥渢raveling rings, horizontal bars and ladders鈥� during those gym sessions in the University鈥檚 , which was built in the early 1890s and demolished by 1965.

鈥淲e strengthen the various muscles of our bodies, and acquire a courage that we should not have dreamed of possessing a few years ago,鈥� Romer wrote.

In the 1895 article, the students made clear that their exercise wasn鈥檛 a chore.

鈥淲e should not be college women if we did not mingle a bit of fun with our work, and one of our chief pleasures has been to invent names for our various exercises,鈥� Romer states. 鈥淧erhaps you have heard of our 鈥榞ymnastic hop,鈥� 鈥榗hicken walk,鈥� 鈥榦strich walk鈥� and 鈥榝lying angel,鈥� but if you do not know what they are, we invite you to come and see for yourself鈥攊f you may. Should you be so unfortunate as to belong to the sex seldom admitted during 鈥榣adies hours,鈥� we can give you no better advice than to follow the suggestions given by the names and learn for yourself what we mean.鈥�

Faulkner says the article and accompanying photo make clear the women exercised separately from their male classmates, which is likely why their skirts are shorter. During the 1890s, women鈥檚 activities were “severely proscribed鈥� by fashion (corsets and long skirts), modesty and propriety of the Victorian era.

The 1890s saw those standards giving way to the era of the 鈥渘ew woman,鈥� Faulkner says, in which women discarded those restrictions as they embraced sports for the health and social benefits.

鈥淚 love the picture because their choice of clothing, especially the short skirts, shows how much athletics challenged the still powerful views that women should be modest,鈥� she says. 鈥淲omen鈥檚 fashion did not allow shorter (above the ankle) skirts for everyday wear until about WWI. Earlier, in the 1850s, women鈥檚 rights activists stopped wearing the 鈥樷�� because they were mocked so severely.鈥�

Beyond the Gymnasium

The article that follows the story on battle-ball also focuses on the experience of women in higher education at the time, titled 鈥淲hat is the College Woman Doing in the World?鈥�

鈥淲e can hardly imagine a woman who has had the inspiration of four years of college life as going out into the world and leaving behind her all the life and stir that have been hers for four years,鈥� the article by M.S. Coon says.

The second article delves into ways female graduates were making careers for themselves, namely with social activism or social work. Specifically, it mentions women college graduates founding and working in , which functioned as community-based centers in poor neighborhoods.

The two articles, side-by-side, give a clear look at how women on the 性视界 campus were advocating at the time for their own athletics, education and careers after graduation.

鈥淭he author and her fellow athletes were asserting their physical health along with their academic capabilities in hopes of creating or advancing post-college opportunities at a time when careers were still very limited for women and most women would still marry and have children,鈥� Faulkner says.

The articles from the University News are housed in the in the University Archives. Anyone can visit the Special Collections Research Center and request to see them.

One of the nation’s rising stars in intercollegiate athletics will soon take the helm of 性视界 University Athletics. Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie today announced the appointment of Bryan B. Blair as the University’s next director of athletics. Blair has served as vice president and director of athletics at the University of Toledo since 2022. He is widely regarded as one of the most creative and accomplished leaders in college athletics: a builder of championship programs, a generator of innovative revenue strategies and a genuine believer in the transformative power of higher education. His appointment has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

“Bryan Blair is the athletics leader for this moment and for the future of 性视界 University,” says Haynie. “He is a fierce competitor who knows how to build winning programs, a visionary who approaches the business of college athletics with genuine creativity and ingenuity, and a leader of exemplary character who understands that athletics exists to serve students and the broader University mission. He is exactly the right person to lead the new era of 性视界 University Athletics.”

Fierce Fundraiser and Innovative Revenue Generator

Blair has built a reputation across the industry for finding new and creative ways to grow programs, generate revenue and create experiences that connect athletics to its surrounding community. Under Blair鈥檚 leadership, the University of Toledo has accomplished the following:

• grew fundraising by 282% since FY22, including securing the second-largest gift in school history;
• built the Mid-American Conference’s most sophisticated NIL ecosystem, securing national partnerships with Powerade and pioneering auto-lease arrangements for women’s basketball;
• launched the 1923 Society, generating more than $13.6 million with nearly 50% first-time major gift donors;
• achieved 71% growth in Rocket Fund with more than $1 million-plus gifts in 13 months than the previous decade combined;
• secured KeyBank as the inaugural title sponsor of women鈥檚 athletics and launched the Venture Visionary Courtside Club, two transformational corporate partnerships that elevated the Toledo brand and increased revenue generation;
• established a departmentwide data and analytics initiative focused on 鈥淒ata Excellence,鈥� integrating advanced analytics and AI to drive decision-making, revenue growth and student-athlete support;
• partnered with Vu Technologies to create the first digital studio of its kind in college athletics and converted dormant facilities into active revenue and corporate activation assets;
• launched “Glass City Live,” the program’s first football stadium concert in more than 30 years, drawing 18,000 fans and establishing a new revenue stream;
• added rowing as a varsity sport through a novel partnership model projected to generate more than $1 million in annual net tuition; and
• led the development of a $75 million facilities master plan.

Blair says he looks forward to bringing his big ideas and bigger energy to 性视界 University.

鈥溞允咏� University is one of the most iconic programs in college athletics, with a proud championship history, world-class academics and an incredibly passionate fan base,鈥� says Blair. 鈥淭he opportunity to lead Orange Athletics at this moment is incredibly exciting because the potential ahead is extraordinary. With the clear alignment and shared ambition of Chancellor Haynie, the Board of Trustees, our campus leadership, coaches, student-athletes, alumni and the entire Central New York community, we will build a modern athletics enterprise that competes for championships, elevates the Orange brand and positions 性视界 as a national leader in the future of college athletics. The best days of 性视界 Athletics are ahead of us, and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the program to new levels of excellence.鈥�

Blair also thanked the search committee for its work.

鈥淚 want to extend my sincere appreciation to Steve Ballentine for his leadership as chair of the search committee, to Mike Tirico, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, and to the entire committee for the time, care and thoughtfulness they invested throughout the process. Their passion for 性视界 was palpable throughout the process, and I鈥檓 excited to work together to move 性视界 Athletics forward.鈥�

Building Cultures of Success

During his tenure at Toledo, Blair built an unprecedented culture of success. He led Toledo to three consecutive MAC Cartwright Awards as the conference’s top overall athletics program and 16 conference championships in less than four years鈥攎ore than the program had won in the previous decade combined. His tenure included a MAC football title, two bowl wins, two championship game appearances and historic victories over Mississippi State and Pitt. Toledo鈥檚 football program also produced consecutive Top-65 NFL Draft picks and multiple AP Top-25 appearances, while leading all Group of Six programs in 2026 NFL combine invites. Toledo Athletics led the nation in combined football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball conference wins from 2022鈥�24 with 76, and finished second nationally in the Excellence in Management Cup. In the same year, Toledo became the first program in school history to win both the MAC’s Reese Trophy for top men’s programs and the Jacoby Trophy for top women’s programs. Toledo also secured the program’s first-ever volleyball championship, while nearly doubling attendance.

Search Committee Chairman Steve Ballentine 鈥�83 says Blair’s vision and track record combined with his business acumen position him to hit the ground running.

鈥淏ryan is an impressive leader who stood out in a pool of high-caliber candidates from across college athletics, professional sports and other relevant industries,鈥� says Ballentine. 鈥淗e is an innovator who finds opportunities others don’t see, a competitor who builds championship cultures and a leader who brings out the best in every member of his team. He is going to do big things at 性视界, and I am thrilled to welcome him to the Orange Nation.鈥�

Track Record of Success

Prior to Toledo, Blair served as deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at Washington State University (WSU), where he helped guide a Power Five program through one of the most visible periods in its history. While at WSU, the program:

• doubled annual fundraising to more than $30 million and secured an $11 million naming rights agreement;
• secured a Top-10 national finish and the program’s first 11-win season in football;
• made NCAA tournament appearances in six sports;
• had 35 All-Americans; and
• and accomplished record academic achievement.

Blair played a key role in hiring two future Power Four head coaches, including Kyle Smith, now at Stanford, and Jake Dickert, now at Wake Forest. He directed the program’s NIL strategy, including assisting in the recruitment of future No. 1 NFL Draft pick Cam Ward, who played two seasons at Washington State before transferring to the University of Miami. Before Washington State, Blair spent four years at Rice University as a senior associate athletics director, where he helped the department win 16 conference championships across nine sports, grow its annual fund by 73% and secure a record $3 million partnership with the Texas Medical Center. He also held a compliance role at the University of South Carolina, working closely with Dawn Staley’s Top-10 women’s basketball program during a formative period that included the recruitment of the nation’s top prospect and future WNBA star, Aja Wilson.

Commitment to the Academic Mission

What distinguishes Blair as much as his competitive and business record is his commitment to the mission of higher education. A lifelong learner with a law degree and a background as a Division I student-athlete, he has consistently integrated athletics into the academic and civic life of the institutions he has served. At Toledo, he co-chaired the search process for the university’s executive vice president and provost, a role rarely assumed by an athletics director. Student-athletes excelled in the classroom during Blair鈥檚 tenure producing 11 consecutive semesters above a 3.3 department GPA. Blair’s “Team Toledo” movement created a unified identity across the athletics department, the broader university and the Northwest Ohio region, aligning partners, fans and institutions around a shared mission and purpose.

In 2024, Blair was named to the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) Forty Under 40, one of only two MAC athletic directors ever to receive the honor. The SBJ Forty Under 40 is one of the sports industry鈥檚 premier executive honors, with previous alumni that include Adam Silver (NBA commissioner), Kevin Plank (founder, Under Armour), Brett Yormark (Big 12 commissioner) and Brian Rolapp (CEO, PGA Tour). Blair is also a member of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, and formerly served on the Steering Committee of the National Sports Forum, one of the largest gatherings of revenue generation executives from a diverse array of teams, leagues, agencies and brands. Blair holds a juris doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law and a bachelor of arts in history from Wofford College, where he was a Division I football student-athlete.

Blair and his wife, Jenna, have two children, daughter Brielle and son Beau.

When the puck drops for women’s ice hockey at the , three members of the Orange community will be competing for gold, representing Canada, the United States and Japan.

The University鈥檚 women鈥檚 ice hockey coach will be serving as an assistant coach for Hockey Canada, 鈥�16 will be working as a video coach for Team USA and ’15 will be playing defense for Team Japan.

Seeing Smith and other members of the Orange鈥檚 hockey alumni community on the Olympic stage is 鈥渁n amazing feeling,鈥� says current defensemen 鈥�26.

鈥淚t’s awesome to see how far the game has grown,鈥� she says. 鈥淥bviously, everyone dreams of one day playing in the Olympics. So knowing your coach is there, some of the teammates you played with before are there, it just represents something bigger than yourself. And it’s really motivating to see the younger girls and the younger generations really get inspired, hopefully, to have the same dream that we all did of hopefully making it to the Olympics.鈥�

Gendron says she hopes others watching women鈥檚 ice hockey know they can stay motivated and determined in pursuit of their own dreams of Olympic gold.

鈥淏elieve in yourself, be confident and you’ll succeed if you just keep working hard every day,鈥� Gendron says. 鈥淥ne thing I really learned at 性视界, especially, is there’s always something bigger than yourself. So remind yourself when you play, always play for something bigger than yourself and for the people around you.鈥�

The 性视界 women鈥檚 ice hockey team is planning big watch parties with their coaches to cheer Smith on in particular, she says.

鈥淲e’re obviously very happy and proud for her, and we just can’t wait to watch her succeed,鈥� Gendron says.

Below, learn more about Smith, Piacentini and Hosoyamada:

Smith, the second head coach in Orange women’s ice hockey program history, has worked in coaching positions for Hockey Canada since 2014. A native of Port Perry, Ontario, Smith was a Top-10 finalist for the 2010 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award while a defenseman at St. Lawrence University. She was an assistant coach at Clarkson for eight years, taking the reins at 性视界 in May 2022.

She and Hockey Canada took silver at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Czechia in April, falling only to the United States in an overtime classic for the Gold Medal Round.

“Representing Canada on the international stage is both humbling and exciting, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to contribute alongside some of the most accomplished athletes and coaches in the game,鈥� Smith in a statement when her Olympic position on the team was announced in July.

Smith said she looks forward to returning to 性视界 鈥渨ith valuable experiences and insights that will further benefit our team and the continued growth of our program.鈥�

Piacentini ended her senior season playing forward for 性视界 as the program鈥檚 all-time leader in career points (112, accounting for both goals and assists) and was the recipient of the . She also won the award in 2016.

After graduating, she played professionally for the EVB Eagles S眉dtirol (formerly the EV Bozen Eagles) in Bolzano, Italy, winning the Italian league crown in 2017.

A native of Weymouth, Massachusetts, she served as a video coach for the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team and is currently the assistant coach for the .

Hosoyamada will represent Team Japan for the at the Olympics. A team member since 2017, she previously competed as a defender in Pyeongchang (2018) and Beijing (2022).

During her time at 性视界, Hosoyamada played five seasons after redshirting during her sophomore year and served as team captain during her redshirt senior year. During her college career, she played 151 games, tallying 10 goals and 51 assists.

Hosoyamada told 性视界 University Today that representing both Team Japan and the University brings reflection and responsibility.

Playing for the Orange, she says she learned to trust her instincts and 鈥渆mbrace the process.鈥� She says she鈥檚 carried that mindset with her after graduating, to the Olympic bench and Team Japan.

With each Olympic appearance, she says her understanding of what it means to wear her jersey has 鈥渄eepened.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 proud to represent Team Japan鈥攏ot just as a player, but as someone who understands the history, the growth and the responsibility that comes with it,鈥� she says. 鈥溞允咏� University will always be a huge part of who I am. It鈥檚 where I learned how to compete, how to lead and how to handle adversity. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career and continue to shape how I approach moments like this. Standing on the Olympic stage again, I feel grateful, grounded and motivated to give everything I have鈥攗sing my experience to help the team and to perform at our best when it matters most.鈥�

Hosoyamada says her biggest advice to young athletes dreaming of competing in the Olympics is to not give up when you encounter adversity.

鈥淔or me, there was a season when I felt like giving up completely,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut instead of walking away, I gave myself another chance鈥攐ne more season, one more push. Looking back, that decision changed everything. Growth often happens right at the point where things feel hardest, so trust the process, stay patient and keep showing up, even when it鈥檚 tough.鈥�

Over the past two years, the University’s athletic dining program has undergone a remarkable transformation under the leadership of chef Jeff Dover, who has worked to establish a standard of nutritional excellence for the Division I student-athletes.

The program was rolled out in stages, expanding alongside the construction at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. The Fallon Family Dining Center in the complex鈥檚 Football Performance Center first opened in the spring 2025 semester for use by the football team. In the fall semester, the Magee One Team Dining Center opened, thanks to a $2 million gift from Ed Magee 鈥�70, G 鈥�72 to honor his father,听 effectively doubling the size of the dining program. Dover and his team now serve hundreds of student-athletes every week.

鈥淭he new dining facilities at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, in both the Football Performance Center and Magee One Team Dining Center, showcase our continued strategic investment to help our student-athletes compete at the highest level,鈥� says director of athletics John Wildhack 鈥�80.

鈥淣utrition is a cornerstone of athletic performance, and we’ve seen firsthand how this facility has impacted our teams. Working with our nutrition staff and chef Dover, we鈥檝e created a space where our student-athletes can fuel their bodies properly and build the kind of team culture that leads to success.鈥�

When he was hired, Dover knew he could play a vital role in the success of student-athletes on the playing field. He works closely with team nutritionists and strength and conditioning coaches to provide food for fuel, recovery and everything in between.

鈥淚 tend to focus on the macro nutrition,鈥� Dover says. 鈥淲hereas the performance nutritionist has to focus on the micro nutrition: hydration, vitamins and minerals, refueling and recovery.鈥�

The transition to coach Fran Brown’s tenure in early 2024 brought fresh dynamics to the program. Dover’s team served their first meals to Brown’s squad on Jan. 17, 2024, and quickly adapted to the new coaching staff’s preferences through player surveys and constant communication.

“Coach Brown is hands-on, very involved with our nutrition program. You can tell that the details matter to him,鈥� Dover says, emphasizing the value of direct feedback from both players and coaches.

Mixing Up the Menu to Avoid the Mundane

The menu ranges from comfort food favorites like homemade biscuits with gravy and baked French toast to upscale options on special nights. Monday nights will often feature comfort standards like burgers, hot dogs and fried fish, while Wednesdays often include player-favorite varieties of chicken wings.

The key, Dover stresses, is variety over the 15-week semester to keep meals from becoming mundane. Keeping it fresh for the juniors and seniors, players new to the program and staff requires frequent communication and input.听He says that the players won鈥檛 hesitate to let his staff know if they鈥檙e getting tired of something on the menu.

鈥淭his team and the coaching staff let you know, no questions asked,鈥� Dover says with a smile. 鈥淚 couldn’t ask for a better dynamic between my staff, particularly the supervisors and the coaching staff. It’s very familial.鈥�

This fall, when construction ended and the Magee One Team dining area opened, the athletic dining culinary team knew that their scope of responsibilities was going to expand. They鈥檙e now providing breakfast Monday through Friday, catering departure meals for teams preparing for away games and providing pregame meals for same-day competition in 性视界 seven days a week.

Dover’s ultimate goal is ambitious: to make 性视界’s athletic dining program the standard of excellence that other Division I programs seek to emulate. With a motivated staff that arrives as early as 4 a.m., a collaborative relationship with coaches and their staffs and leadership from both the Athletic Department and Auxiliary Services, the foundation appears solid.

鈥淭his [experience] has been really gratifying for both myself and my staff,鈥� Dover says. 鈥淲e love these teams. You know, a lot of my staff don’t know the first thing about sports, but they really like providing these meals for the players and the coaching staff. It鈥檚 a point of pride.鈥�

When Brian Tarrant’s email arrived in the inbox of design faculty in the (VPA), it carried with it more than a simple project proposal. It carried the weight of history, the story of college football’s most famed number鈥攖he legendary 44鈥攁nd those who wore it.

Tarrant ’96, a former Orange football player and senior vice president with MC2, a brand experience solutions agency, reached out to partner with the University. He sought help curating the memorabilia and developing the storytelling for the Legend of 44 exhibition, which his company designed.

The primary stakeholder, Rob Konrad 鈥�02, the last 性视界 football player to wear the number before it was retired in 2005, invested a significant amount of time and personal resources to help acquire the iconic memorabilia. 鈥淗is generosity and deep love for the University truly made this project possible,鈥� Tarrant says.

The is not just a jersey at 性视界; it is part of the University鈥檚 identity. From 1954 to 1998, 11 players wore the number, beginning with Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown 鈥�57, who ushered in the modern era and transformed it into a symbol of excellence.

The most notable players to follow Brown include Ernie Davis 鈥�62, the first African American Heisman Trophy winner in 1961; Floyd Little 鈥�67, H鈥�16, a three-time All-American at 性视界 and Hall of Fame running back with the Denver Broncos; Michael Owens 鈥�90; Terry Richardson 鈥�94; and Konrad, who went on to play six seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

Honoring the Legend of 44

To create the exhibition, environmental and interior design students Trisha Mohta ’28, Katja Wetzel ’27, Carmela Garcia ’26, Isabel Lamporte ’26 and Holly Ishiro-Randall ’26鈥攁long with museum studies graduate student Daniel Griffaton G鈥�26鈥攚orked alongside faculty members Zoriana Dunham, assistant teaching professor, Andrew Saluti, associate professor, and Tarrant and his team.

The students learned the stories behind the artifacts, including game-worn helmets from Brown and Konrad and cleats from Davis’ Heisman season. They visited the storage site to measure objects and examine them firsthand. The challenge was to translate decades of achievement, sacrifice and cultural significance into a cohesive narrative that would resonate with fans across generations.

Within the exhibition’s design, larger cases feature Brown, Davis and Little, and smaller cases feature Owens, Richardson and Konrad. A backlit 44 display lists all 25 players who were known to wear the number on the football field.

A Rewarding Experience for Students

As the project progressed, the team saw how individual stories wove together into something larger鈥攁 tapestry of excellence that transcended any single student-athlete. They collaborated through shared digital whiteboards, collecting sketches and concepts, refining their vision through multiple meetings with Tarrant’s team.

Garcia has focused on big-scale design in her studies, and this project taught her that human-centered design must prioritize the small scale.

“It was so exciting to see this project come to life within the course of a few weeks,鈥� Garcia says. 鈥淎nd it made me realize the power of cooperation, various skills and a shared interest.”

Randall says the students were involved in the full design process. 鈥淔or the first time, we were able to follow a project from initial ideation through installation, and I am proud to have been able to contribute to a project that celebrates 性视界鈥檚 legacy,鈥� she says.

“A particularly meaningful element for the students was shaping the ‘legend story’ of the iconic number 44,” says Dunham. “They worked to design a display that would connect fans across generations while preserving the legacy and significance of the number within the school community.”

When installation week arrived in mid-November, the students and faculty completed the hands-on work. The exhibition, now permanently situated outside Club 44 at Gate C in the JMA Wireless Dome, features the artifacts alongside a timeline honoring every player who wore the number, plus video and photo displays that bring the legacy to life.

“Working with students from the environmental and interior design and museum studies programs was an incredible opportunity,” says Tarrant. “The students assumed ownership of the storytelling, including image selection, artifact descriptions and overall layout, which became a major asset to the project’s success. I could not be more proud of this project and the role the students played in bringing it to life.”

The unveiling ceremony in November was attended by Konrad and William Schoonover 鈥�65, who also wore the 44, along with the families of the legendary players and Chancellor Kent Syverud.

For Dunham and Saluti, watching their students succeed was deeply rewarding. “The students gained experience in artifact research, narrative development, client collaboration, iterative design and team project management,” says Dunham. “It is a rare opportunity for students to leave a permanent mark on campus while applying the skills they are learning鈥攚hat could be more powerful than that?”

Playing in the highly competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. Maintaining high marks in the classroom. Seeking career-launching internships.

The time management skills required of the student-athletes on campus are impressive, but despite those obligations, many student-athletes prioritize giving back to the community that cheers them on to victory through service projects.

With Thanksgiving approaching, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is once again partnering with Wegmans to provide between 300 and 400 turkeys to families in need around the holidays.

Anna Rupert 鈥�26 has participated in the drive for the last two years and says it is especially important for her to spread some holiday cheer and help people enjoy a turkey dinner at Thanksgiving.

鈥淚t’s amazing to see how this act can impact someone’s life. Service creates bonds and creates friendships. Through service, we become more well-rounded, holistic leaders on campus,鈥� says Rupert, a member of the women鈥檚 soccer team studying economics () and philosophy ().

Setting a Positive Example

The turkey drive is just one of the ways Orange student-athletes are supporting the community through service.

Rupert and some of her teammates also volunteer at the Central New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, playing with and taking dogs for walks at the shelter.

鈥淰olunteering is about setting an example of what it looks like to be a student-athlete,鈥� says Rupert, vice president of SAAC. 鈥淥nce our student-athletes are out in the community, they鈥檙e able to see how their efforts are making a difference. We are leading by example and showing what it means to represent 性视界.鈥�

Service Fuels Holistic Development

The importance of community service was instilled in Sydnie Waller 鈥�27 from a very early age. When she was 5 years old, Waller remembers accompanying her parents, DarKenya and Sean Waller, to food banks near their home in Nashville, Tennessee.

When Sydnie first arrived on campus as a member of the women鈥檚 volleyball team, she sought ways to give back to the community. Those efforts have included reading to and playing games with area school children, and serving up hot meals, sorting food and washing dishes at food banks.

Through her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, Waller is also involved in three different food-based community service projects leading up to Thanksgiving.

鈥淚 volunteer because I have the ability to give back and I’m trying to do something to make a change,鈥� says Waller, a marketing major in the . 鈥淲e all have an obligation to our community. It鈥檚 important to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and know that you made a difference with the time you had.鈥�

A Role Model for Children

Whenever Angelica Velez 鈥�27 and her women鈥檚 basketball team play inside the JMA Wireless Dome, they know the Central New York community is rooting for them. Children from the 性视界 Central School District and other elementary, middle and high schools can always be found in the stands.

Velez says the team relies on that support to transform the Dome into the 鈥淟oud House,鈥� and knowing how much the community shows up for the team fuels her service efforts.

Last year, after transferring from Louisiana State University, Velez spent roughly 80 hours volunteering, giving back to the 性视界 Rescue Mission and the Food Bank of Central New York, preparing meals at the Samaritan Center and making care packages for children.

鈥淕iving back brings me joy. I really enjoy being able to impact somebody else鈥檚 life,鈥� says Velez, a communication and rhetorical studies major in the .

鈥淚 can be a role model for the kids in the community. For them getting to know me on a personal level is humbling and allows me to grow as a leader because I understand the impact we鈥檙e having through service.鈥�

Giving Back What They Have Received

The SAAC features students from every intercollegiate athletics team coming together to make a difference on campus and in the community through professional development and networking opportunities, cultural celebrations and community outreach.

Within SAAC, the Community Outreach Committee connects interested student-athletes with more volunteer opportunities in the community. Opportunities exist to assist those facing homelessness through a partnership between the Samaritan Center and We Rise Above the Streets.

Last spring, during Sandwich Saturdays, Emma Klein 鈥�25, G鈥�27 would spend three hours making sandwiches and distributing them to Central New Yorkers. Hoping to entice others to join in, Klein sent out texts in the team鈥檚 group chat. She was amazed at how quickly her teammates answered the call to assist. Soon there were seven to eight of Klein鈥檚 teammates handing out sandwiches.

鈥淪eeing the impact we can have on our community was really touching. You don’t realize that the littlest things mean the world to someone,鈥� says Klein, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in chemical engineering and is pursuing a master鈥檚 in engineering from the . 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful and fortunate for everything the 性视界 community has given me. I want to be able to give back what I have been given.鈥�