Hall of Fame
Much of the success of RIT’s intercollegiate athletics program can be attributed to the vision and leadership of Dr. M. Richard Rose, who served as president of the Institute from 1979 to 1992. Following an initial study, Rose implemented restructuring within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics that included additional funding, increased staffing and expanded facilities. Among the more notable improvements were construction of the Hale-Andrews Student Life Center, the addition of the Pike Guest and Press Boxes in Ritter Ice Arena and the addition of three women’s sports. With Rose’s encouragement in the 1980’s, RIT intercollegiate athletics steadily gained national prominence, highlighted by the Institute’s first-ever NCAA Division II men’s hockey championship in 1983. The achievement was repeated in 1985. RIT virtually transformed its athletics program from one that seldom saw national championship play to one where NCAA appearances became commonplace in such sports as hockey, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, cross country and swimming.
