Nichols College Athletics

ALBANY, N.Y. – Nichols College Director of Athletics Charlyn Robert was awarded the 2008 ECAC Jostens Female Administrator of the Year award Sunday evening at the ECAC Convention Honors Dinner. The dinner, held at the Albany Crowne Plaza as part of the annual convention, honored Robert and Chuck Mitrano, Commissioner of the Empire 8 Conference, in recognition of outstanding or meritorious service to the ECAC.

“I am honored and humbled by this acknowledgement,” said Robert. “I am very appreciative and proud of the work that we have been able to do at Nichols College for our student-athletes. President Townsley, the Board of Trustees, the staff and student-athletes are all dedicated to achieving success. This is truly a team effort and I graciously accept this honor from the ECAC on behalf of the College.”

Robert was named the Director of Athletics at Nichols College on November 9, 1998. Under her leadership, Nichols has won The Commonwealth Coast Conference titles in men’s tennis (2000, 2001), men’s golf (2001, 2007) and women’s soccer (2007). During the 2007-08 season, Nichols won the Worcester College Cup for the first time in the 10-year history of the trophy. Robert has helped oversee the construction of a new athletic center in 2000 and a new multi-purpose stadium, Michael J. Vendetti Field, in 2006. An advocate for women’s sports, Robert has been able to add women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport in 2000 and women’s ice hockey will debut as a varsity sport in 2008-09.

The head field hockey coach at Union College (N.Y.) from 1983-96, Robert was named the New York Collegiate Female Coach of the Year in 1989. In addition, she coached at the Empire State Games from 1977-89. Robert guided the field hockey team at Nichols from 1996-2002, posting 62 victories during that span – the second highest total in school history.

A graduate of the State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor of science degree in physical education and also a graduate of the University of Massachusetts – Amherst with a master of science degree in sport management administration, Robert was a four-year player and captain in field hockey and lacrosse in college.