News

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