Former Concordia College Athletic Director Honored by NACDA

From Concordia College: Former Concordia College (N.Y.) Director of Athletics Ivan Marquez was recently honored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) as a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year Recipient at their annual convention.

The Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year Award program was created to honor intercollegiate directors of athletics for their commitment and administrative excellence within a campus and/or college community environment. The award spans seven divisions (NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division I, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year, JC/CC) and annually honors 29 athletics directors (four from each division) and one cross-divisional International winner. Recipients received their awards at the annual NACDA Convention which was held in on June 13th.

“I am so honored to have been recognized by my fellow Directors of Athletics,” stated Marquez. “It has been a privilege working side-by-side with the great administrators of the NYCAC, ECC and the CACC.” Marquez was named the CACC Athletic Director of the Year during a pregame ceremony on November 16th, 2016 during Concordia’s 7th Annual Jimmy Sayegh Men’s Basketball Game. Ivan organized the annual event which has raised over $20,000 for the Dr. Michael J. Morris Research Fund at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and was recognized by the NCAA by placing 3rd out of all NCAA Division II institutions in the inaugural NCAA Division II Award of Excellence Program in 2014.

“My greatest joy has come from watching our student-athletes over the last 20-plus years. We have had so many young men and women become great citizens and leaders in their communities. I am proud to have been part of their lives,” explained Marquez. “I have always said, ‘I haven’t worked a day in 20 years,’ and that is because our student-athletes, our staff, and our administrators have made every day enjoyable and full of excitement. It never felt like work and I look forward to watching Concordia continue to grow and will continue to support the College and the Athletics program in any way I can,” concluded Marquez.

Marquez came to Concordia in 1995 as the Assistant Athletics Director and coach the men’s and women’s volleyball programs. After one year he was named the Director of Athletics and following the 1998-99 academic year would hand over the reins of the women's volleyball program to focus on the nationally recognized men's program.

Maarquez began his coaching career in 1982 as a graduate assistant for the USC women’s volleyball team before moving to New York where he began a decade-long rise as an executive at Macy’s and, later, at Bloomingdale’s. In 1994 he would coach the girls’ volleyball team at nearby Rye High School before beginning his 20-plus years of service at Concordia.

“I am so proud of Ivan Marquez,” stated current Director of Athletics Kathy Laoutaris ‘93. “This is a huge honor and so well deserved. Ivan has done great things for Concordia Athletics and I am happy his fellow Director’s recognized him with this great award. Ivan has been a huge influence in my development and I look forward to building on what he started,” concluded Laoutaris.

"Successful college athletic programs are the result of a dedicated, engaged, and strong leader; a leader who is committed to developing skilled players, scholar athletes, and compassionate citizens who make a difference on campus, in the community, and around the globe,” stated Dr. Sherry Fraser, Provost of Concordia College. “Ivan accomplished this over and over at Concordia throughout his tenure as Athletic Director. We are proud of him and his accomplishments and grateful for his dedicated service to Concordia.”

Currently, Marquez is Executive Director of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA), a position he has held since 2003. Ivan was inducted into the EIVA Hall of Fame in 2012 as a part of the inaugural class as he was the head coach of the Concordia men’s volleyball program prior to accepting the Executive Director position with the EIVA.

Image Courtesy of Concordia College