University of Delaware Athletics
Former Delaware AD Edgar Johnson to Receive ECAC James Lynah Service Award Sunday; Heather Hartman to Receive Award of Valor
9/26/2014 10:21:00 AM | Delaware Athletics
DANBURY, Conn. -- Edgar N. Johnson, who spent his entire professional career at the University of Delaware and led the Blue Hens to new heights during his 25-year tenure as director of athletics, will be honored by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) this Sunday, September, 28, with the James Lynah Award for Distinguished Achievement.
Johnson, who retired from Delaware Athletics in 2009 and currently serves as an associate professor in the UD sport management program, will be among several people recognized at the annual ECAC Honors Dinner at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, Mass.
Among those also set to be recognized will be former UD field hockey standout Heather Hartman (below), who is one of four student-athletes who will be honored with the ECAC Award of Valor.
In addition to Johnson, also being honored Sunday as a winner of the Lynah Award is former
Fordham Director of Athletics Frank McLaughlin. The award is bestowed annually to former ECAC athletic administrators who have achieved outstanding success in their career and have made an unusual contribution in the interest of intercollegiate athletics, the NCAA and the ECAC.
"I am thrilled and honored to be recognized by my peers and the ECAC for the James Lynah Distinguished Service Award.” said Johnson. “I must also recognize the outstanding administrators, coaches and student-athletes with whom I worked. For without their support, contributions and encouragement nothing would have been possible or accomplished.”
Johnson, who has spent his entire professional career at Delaware, led the Blue Hens to new heights during his 25-year tenure as the Director of Athletics. He helped direct Delaware from the East Coast Conference to the America East Conference in 1991-92 and then led the Blue Hens to their current home in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in 2001-02.
A staple of Johnson's tenure was the improvement and success of the Delaware football program. He guided the football team to its first conference affiliation since 1970 when they joined the Yankee Conference in 1986. Delaware then joined the Atlantic-10 Football Conference in 1997, and in 2003 the Blue Hens won the NCAA I-AA Football National Championship. Four years later, after joining the newly formed CAA Football Conference, the Blue Hens finished as the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) runner-up.
As a member of the America East Conference from 1991-2001, Delaware captured 10 consecutive Stuart Haskell Commissioner's Cup Awards signifying athletic excellence based on final league standings in all sports. Over Johnson's 25-year career, Delaware won 83 regular season conference and tournament titles and appeared in 32 NCAA Championships.
Prior to becoming Director of Athletics, Johnson served in numerous roles inside the department. Joining the department in 1969 as an assistant athletic trainer and assistant men's swimming coach, Johnson would also work as head coach of the men's cross country team and as an assistant track coach.
The University of Delaware continues to present the Edgar Johnson Award to a male senior letterwinner who has exhibited the qualities of hard work, dedication, leadership, fairness, and striving for excellence. Johnson was inducted into the University of Delaware Wall of Fame in 2011.
McLaughlin led the Fordham Department of Athletics for 27 years before being named associate vice president of student affairs for athletic alumni relations in 2012. McLaughlin, a 1969 graduate of Fordham, was athletics director for 13 years before being promoted to executive director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation in 1998.
Hartman will be honored alongside Andrew Avelino (U.S. Military Academy), Josh Morgan (Plymouth State), and Richard Suarez (Rowan).
The ECAC Award of Valor is awarded annually and was established in 1985 to honor ECAC student-athletes whose courage, motivation and relentless determination serves as an inspiration to all. The recipients of the Award of Valor exemplify strength of character and perseverance and deserve recognition as being truly triumphant.
“I am humbled and honored to be nominated for such a prestigious award,” exclaimed Hartman. “It is such a blessing to be recognized for my journey and I am grateful for all that the ECAC has done. I feel so blessed to be healthy and alive. I know my hardship was given to me for a reason and if I can inspire just one person to keep persevering through, it is humbling.”
Hartman, who started as a defender throughout most of her time in a Blue Hens uniform, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in the spring of 2012 after noticing a lump near her collarbone. While undergoing extensive chemotherapy to battle the disease, Hartman insisted on continuing to take classes on campus. The elementary education major continued to excel in the classroom and finished the spring semester strong with a 3.94 grade point average.
Following the completion of her treatment, Hartman regained the strength and endurance needed to compete as a Division I student-athlete. She returned to play in all 20 games during her junior year, starting 17, and finished as Delaware's leader in assists with eight.
Back at full strength in 2013 for her senior campaign, Hartman was voted team captain and started all of UD's 22 contests. She contributed a goal and eight assists for a Blue Hens squad that recorded a program-record 17 victories in addition to earning both the CAA regular season and tournament championships en route to the fifth NCAA Tournament berth in school history.
Johnson, who retired from Delaware Athletics in 2009 and currently serves as an associate professor in the UD sport management program, will be among several people recognized at the annual ECAC Honors Dinner at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, Mass.
Among those also set to be recognized will be former UD field hockey standout Heather Hartman (below), who is one of four student-athletes who will be honored with the ECAC Award of Valor.
In addition to Johnson, also being honored Sunday as a winner of the Lynah Award is former
Fordham Director of Athletics Frank McLaughlin. The award is bestowed annually to former ECAC athletic administrators who have achieved outstanding success in their career and have made an unusual contribution in the interest of intercollegiate athletics, the NCAA and the ECAC. "I am thrilled and honored to be recognized by my peers and the ECAC for the James Lynah Distinguished Service Award.” said Johnson. “I must also recognize the outstanding administrators, coaches and student-athletes with whom I worked. For without their support, contributions and encouragement nothing would have been possible or accomplished.”
Johnson, who has spent his entire professional career at Delaware, led the Blue Hens to new heights during his 25-year tenure as the Director of Athletics. He helped direct Delaware from the East Coast Conference to the America East Conference in 1991-92 and then led the Blue Hens to their current home in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in 2001-02.
A staple of Johnson's tenure was the improvement and success of the Delaware football program. He guided the football team to its first conference affiliation since 1970 when they joined the Yankee Conference in 1986. Delaware then joined the Atlantic-10 Football Conference in 1997, and in 2003 the Blue Hens won the NCAA I-AA Football National Championship. Four years later, after joining the newly formed CAA Football Conference, the Blue Hens finished as the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) runner-up.
As a member of the America East Conference from 1991-2001, Delaware captured 10 consecutive Stuart Haskell Commissioner's Cup Awards signifying athletic excellence based on final league standings in all sports. Over Johnson's 25-year career, Delaware won 83 regular season conference and tournament titles and appeared in 32 NCAA Championships.
Prior to becoming Director of Athletics, Johnson served in numerous roles inside the department. Joining the department in 1969 as an assistant athletic trainer and assistant men's swimming coach, Johnson would also work as head coach of the men's cross country team and as an assistant track coach.
The University of Delaware continues to present the Edgar Johnson Award to a male senior letterwinner who has exhibited the qualities of hard work, dedication, leadership, fairness, and striving for excellence. Johnson was inducted into the University of Delaware Wall of Fame in 2011.
McLaughlin led the Fordham Department of Athletics for 27 years before being named associate vice president of student affairs for athletic alumni relations in 2012. McLaughlin, a 1969 graduate of Fordham, was athletics director for 13 years before being promoted to executive director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation in 1998.
Hartman will be honored alongside Andrew Avelino (U.S. Military Academy), Josh Morgan (Plymouth State), and Richard Suarez (Rowan).
The ECAC Award of Valor is awarded annually and was established in 1985 to honor ECAC student-athletes whose courage, motivation and relentless determination serves as an inspiration to all. The recipients of the Award of Valor exemplify strength of character and perseverance and deserve recognition as being truly triumphant.
“I am humbled and honored to be nominated for such a prestigious award,” exclaimed Hartman. “It is such a blessing to be recognized for my journey and I am grateful for all that the ECAC has done. I feel so blessed to be healthy and alive. I know my hardship was given to me for a reason and if I can inspire just one person to keep persevering through, it is humbling.”
Hartman, who started as a defender throughout most of her time in a Blue Hens uniform, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in the spring of 2012 after noticing a lump near her collarbone. While undergoing extensive chemotherapy to battle the disease, Hartman insisted on continuing to take classes on campus. The elementary education major continued to excel in the classroom and finished the spring semester strong with a 3.94 grade point average.
Following the completion of her treatment, Hartman regained the strength and endurance needed to compete as a Division I student-athlete. She returned to play in all 20 games during her junior year, starting 17, and finished as Delaware's leader in assists with eight.
Back at full strength in 2013 for her senior campaign, Hartman was voted team captain and started all of UD's 22 contests. She contributed a goal and eight assists for a Blue Hens squad that recorded a program-record 17 victories in addition to earning both the CAA regular season and tournament championships en route to the fifth NCAA Tournament berth in school history.
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