After almost two years without a definite head of the athletics department at SUNY Old Westbury, the department has finally found a qualified candidate to fill the position. Lenore Walsh, a Long Island native and a Providence College alumna, has joined the Old Westbury staff as the new director of athletics. Walsh comes into the position, already with a vast experience in collegiate athletics. Before joining the Old Westbury athletic staff, Walsh was the associate director of athletics and the senior women’s administrator at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). During her tenure there, she oversaw eleven NCAA Division II teams, as well as the school’s Division I baseball team. She implemented the Bear Education Athletic Retention program, or BEAR, an academic support program for student athletes. The program offered academic assistance to student athletes in need, and helped improve NYIT’s retention and graduation rates.
Walsh received her bachelor’s degree in 1996 from Providence College. After graduation, she took a yearlong internship with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) in Massachusetts. While working for the ECAC, she got involved in everything from event planning and marketing, to conference championships. She learned to appreciate the business of college athletics, and wanted to learn more.
One major difference Walsh is dealing with is the transition from a primarily Division II school to a Division III school. She feels there is a difference in the attitudes of the athletes here, as Division II athletes get scholarships to play, while Division III athletes do not. “What I find with the student athletes here is that they enjoy the opportunity and find it to be a privilege to be a part of the team,” Walsh said.
Walsh said she is excited to start her new chapter at SUNY Old Westbury. She took over the position on July 23, and has stated that her main goal is to “focus on the student athlete development.” So far, she said, the staff has been very helpful as she has become acquainted with Panthers players and coaches, and sees a bright future here at SUNY Old Westbury.