News

(Courtesy of the National Junior College Athletic Association) 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Dan Mara, the Commissioner of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), has been elected into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, it was announced today. Mara was a 10-time New England Region Coach of the Year at Mitchell College (Conn). The 2008 class will be formally inducted at the 2008 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament Banquet March 17 in Salina, Kan. The class includes the winningest coach in the NJCAA, Lin Laursen of Central Arizona College.

"I am deeply honored, humbled and totally shocked," said Mara. "My time in the NJCAA was the greatest experience, and the most fun, of my professional career. To be remembered is outstanding, to be chosen for this honor is overwhelming."

Mara has an established career as a coach and administrator in intercollegiate athletics, beginning with his service at former NJCAA member Mitchell College. Mara started his career at Mitchell College in 1976 as Sports Information Director. He was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director and his duties included sports information as well as coordinating recruitment for all sports. He began coaching as Assistant Softball Coach and Assistant Women's Basketball Coach in 1977. His first Head Coaching Position was as Mitchell's Baseball Coach in 1979. He became Head Women's Basketball Coach in 1984 and also served as Head Softball Coach in 1990 and 1991. During his time as Recruiting Coordinator, Mitchell teams won five national titles and 40 New England Championships.

Mara coached the Mitchell College Women's Basketball Team for ten seasons and compiled a career mark of 289-16 (.947 winning percentage). His teams claimed ten National Junior College Athletic Association New England titles and reached two National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Final Fours. During his tenure Mitchell established a national record for consecutive regular-season victories. The streak, which ultimately reached 234, was at 223 straight when Mara left Mitchell to become Director of Athletics at then Teikyo Post University. The Pequots fashioned undefeated regular season records every season from 1987-88 until his departure after the 1994-1995 season.

At Mitchell, Mara coached ten Kodak All-Americans including former WNBA star Rita Williams. Williams went on the lead the University of Connecticut to the 1998 Big East Championship and was named tournament Most Valuable Player. She was the 12th pick in the 1998 WNBA Draft and was chosen as the first all-star game representative in Indiana Fever history.

The Mitchell women were not just successful on the court. Ninety Eight percent graduated from Mitchell and an equal percentage continued their education at four-year colleges. Mara was inducted into the Mitchell College Hall of Fame in 1998 and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Mara spent 15 years as a director of the highly successful Fundamental Basketball Camp at Mitchell College and served on the staff of the Irish Basketball Association (IBA) Basketball Camp in Dungarvan, Ireland for eight years under legendary Irish coach Fergus Woods.

He was named NJCAA New England Women's Basketball Coach of the Year nine times, Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Coach of the Year six times, NJCAA District Coach of the Year three times and Converse District Coach of the Year in 1994. He was named CSAC Softball Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1991. He coached the Post Men's Basketball Team to a fourth place finish in the CACC in his only season, 1996-97.

Mara is in his second year as Commissioner of the CACC. Mara arrived at the CACC Office after 11 years as the Associate Vice-President for Athletics and Fitness at CACC-member Post University. While at Post, he was selected as CACC Athletic Director of the year three times and as NAIA Regional Athletic Director of the Year in 2001.

In the NCAA, Mara is a member of the prestigious Division II Management Council as well as Chairman of the NCAA Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee and the Division II Convention Planning Team. He serves on the Division II Identity Sub-Committee.

Mara served as Vice-President of the CACC from 1998 to 2004 and chaired the conference's Ethics and Membership Committees until his appointment as Commissioner. He was a CACC representative to the NCAA Northeast Regional Division II Men's Basketball Committee from 2002-05. During that time, he was heavily involved with the CACC's move to the NCAA.

In 2006, Mara was elected as First Vice-President of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) and is scheduled to serve the organization as President from 2008-2010. He has been an ECAC Board of Directors member since 2005 as well as serving on the ECAC Strategic Planning Committee, the ECAC Marketing Committee and the ECAC Nominating Committee.

Mara holds degrees from Mitchell College and Roger Williams University as well as a Graduate Certificate from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). He is a native of West Hartford and currently resides in Waterbury with his son, Danny.