NYU Claim the 2006 ECAC Institution of the Year Honor
CAPE COD, Mass. (July 24, 2006) - The Interim
Commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC),
Steve Bamford, has announced that New York University has been
selected as the 2006 ECAC Jostens Institution of the Year.
This award is presented annually to the ECAC institution that best
exemplifies the highest standards of collegiate academics and
athletic performance.
The award will be presented at the ECAC Convention Honors Dinner
presented by Jostens on Sunday, October 1 at the Four Points by
Sheraton Hyannis Resort. It is given in conjunction with
Jostens, the presenting sponsor of the ECAC Honors Dinner, and Jim
Dougher, Jostens National Sports Manager and long-time friend and
supporter of the ECAC.
New York University is a member of the University Athletic
Association (UAA) and offers 24 varsity sports to their 20,566
undergraduate students. Director of Athletics, Intramurals
and Recreation Christopher Bledsoe has been heading the Department
since 1996 guiding teams to numerous conference championships and
NCAA Tournaments.
"It is a great honor for New York University to be recognized as
the Institution of the Year by the Eastern College Athletic
Conference," said Bledsoe "I am very proud of the
accomplishments of our entire staff for their terrific work over
the past year. This is a significant achievement for New York
University and we are very appreciative to be the ECAC's choice for
2005-06."
NYU's success on the field last year mirrored
their classroom success. The Violets won three ECAC
Championships (men's swimming & diving; women's swimming &
diving; men's golf) and had one runner-up (men's tennis).
The men's swimming & diving team posted a near-perfect 8-1
record en route to one of the top seasons in Violet history. Under
the direction of long-time head coach Bob Sorensen, a total of 14
school records were set, while there were 13 NCAA All-America
honors earned. The Violets dominated the ECAC Championships,
besting 10 other schools and defending their title.
The women's swimming & diving team was just as successful
under second-year head coach Lauren Smith. The Violets finished
with a perfect 8-0 record, won the ECAC Championships, produced two
NCAA All-Americans, and established several new team records.
The men's golf team continued its excellence under the direction
of first-year head coach Jay Donovan. The Violets' winning
tradition remained intact as the squad took home three invitational
championships, including the ECAC Metro Championship, the Violet
Classic and the Neumann College Invitational. The squad also
qualified for the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive
season.
Several Violet teams qualified for their respective NCAA
Championships including women's basketball, women's swimming, men's
swimming, men's outdoor track & field, men's and women's
fencing, men's golf, men's wrestling, and women's volleyball (Elite
Eight).
The women's volleyball team made their fourth straight trip to the
NCAA Tournament's "Sweet Sixteen" and reached the "Elite Eight" for
the third straight season. The squad finished with a 35-8
record and compiled a 20-match winning streak during the
season.
The women's basketball team recorded a winning season for the 22nd
straight year. Under the direction of head coach Janice
Quinn, the Violets posted a record of 18-7 and made their 12th trip
to the NCAA Tournament. Quinn added to her accomplishments by
becoming the first coach in NYU team history to reach 400 wins.
The men's basketball team recorded its 21st winning season in the
last 22 years. The Violets finished with an 18-7 record and
head coach Joe Nesci exceeded the 300-win plateau.
The wrestling team captured the UAA Championship for the first
time since 2000. The team finished with 16 wins and two
athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships in their respective
weight classes.
For the men's and women's fencing teams it was business as
usual. Four fencers qualified for the NCAA Championships and
the combined squad posted a 14th-place national finish.
The men's tennis team produced a solid season with an overall 10-7
record, a second-place finish at the ECAC North Open Championship
and a fourth-place finish at the UAA Championship.
Both the men's and women's track & field teams garnered
success throughout the year, as well. The men's squad
finished fifth at the UAA Championships while the women's squad
established several record-setting times throughout the year.
In addition, NYU boasted 169 athletes with a better than 3.5
cumulative grade point average. Overall, 180 student-athletes
earned University Athletic Association All-Academic honors, while
four earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America
accolades.
Minneapolis-based Jostens, founded in 1897, is a leading provider
of products, programs and services that help people celebrate
important moments, recognize achievements and build affiliations.
The company's products include yearbooks, class rings, graduation
products, school photography and products for athletic champions
and their fans.
The ECAC is the nation's largest athletic and the only
multi-divisional conference with 320 Divisions I, II, and III
colleges and universities from Maine to Georgia and westerly to
Illinois. Established in 1938, the ECAC, a non-profit service
organization, sponsors 100 championships in 37 men's and women's
sports, assigns more than 5,100 officials in 14 sports, administers
10 affiliate sports organizations and seven playing leagues and
recognizes more than 4,000 student-athletes in 20 sports through
the public relations arm of the conference. The ECAC serves as the
primary conference for select members in the sports of men's and
women's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, men's gymnastics, wrestling,
fencing and rowing.
ECAC Jostens Institutions of the Year
All-Time Recipients
1995 - Williams
1996 - Princeton
1997 - Middlebury
1998 - Princeton
1999 - Williams
2000 - Georgetown
2001 - Williams
2002 - Maryland
2003 - Harvard
2004 - Williams
2005- Keene State
