October 8, 2007
Commissioner, Candice Poiss Murray receives 2007 NACWAA Conference Administator of the Year Award
GANSEVOORT, NY – "I am here tonight representing the North Eastern Athletic Conference. We are an NCAA Division III conference who’s membership has included twelve institutions spread between three states: New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. I am honored and privileged to introduce Candice Poiss Murray: marathon runner, tri-athlete, wife, mother of three, and commissioner of the NEAC.
Candice is the type of person who has accepted and sought out challenges all her life. She began taking on challenges as an athlete in high school competing in sports like skiing, field hockey, and kayaking. Candice pushed herself as an athlete; challenging herself in kayaking on the national and international stage and winning a bronze medal in the Junior PAM American Championships.
Candice’s next challenge took her to Bates College where she studied math and music. There she became a track and field competitor learning to throw the hammer, discus, shot put and javelin. As a student athlete at Bates, she challenged the NCAA Track and Field establishment. Candice petitioned the NCAA to make the hammer throw a national event for women. In 1994, the hammer throw became a national NCAA event for women in all three divisions.
The challenges continued as Candice studied at George Washington University in D.C. receiving her masters’ degree in Exercise Science. She worked as an adjunct instructor and research assistant in Exercise Science at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
In 1996, Candice took on a new challenge with an old love, kayaking. She served as the senior supervisor for sports information for the Canoe and Kayak venue at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
The next challenge was at Trinity College in D.C. where Candice served as Director of Athletics and coached field hockey and track and field for three years. And when that administrative duty wasn’t challenging enough for Candice, she left for the Sage Colleges, where she took on the challenge of Director of Athletics for two colleges at the same time while coaching women’s tennis.
In 2005, Candice took on the challenge of the North Eastern Athletic Conference as our first commissioner. This new NCAA Division III conference was formed in 2004 and Candice brought her passion to the job. The challenge was to unite 12 independent institutions that had nothing in common except our diversity. Two public, eight private, two religious, and three NCAA provisional institutions were molded into a unique conference.
Through old fashioned hard work, dedication, and tireless effort, Candice has provided her leadership. The NEAC has faced many obstacles as a new NCAA Division III conference, and we have emerged as a competitive and ethical conference that values sportsmanship, honesty, and fair play. These are the concepts that Candice and the NEAC are dedicated too.
From 2005 until now, Candice not only helped establish a new NCAA Division III conference but also found her newest challenge. During this time she also became a wife to Jim and a mother of three children Jay, Allie, and Emma.
Please help me recognize Candice Poise Murray, this year’s recipient of the 2007 NAWCAA Outstanding Athletic Conference Administrator."
These are the comments of Bill Sutherland, Director of Athletics, Penn State University – Berks, member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference at the 2007 NACWAA Awards Ceremony.
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| Candice Poiss Murray, Commissioner and Bill Sutherland, Penn State University - Berks, Athletic Director. | Candice Poiss Murray, Commissioner and Jennifer Alley, NACWAA Executive Director. |
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