http://gocrimson.ocsn.com/genrel/090803aaa.html
Discuss. :`(
Harvard Chosen ECAC Institution of the Year
Crimson program honored for highest standards of collegiate academics and athletic performance
Sept. 8, 2003
Cape Cod, MA - The Commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), Phil Buttafuoco, has announced that Harvard University has been selected as the 2003 ECAC Jostens Institution of the Year. This award is presented annually to the ECAC institution that best exemplifies the highest standards of collegiate academics and athletic performance.
The award will be presented at the ECAC Fall Convention Honors Dinner presented by Jostens on Tuesday, September 30 at the Sheraton Hyannis Resort. It is given in conjunction with Jostens, the presenting sponsor of the ECAC Honors Dinner, and Jim Dougher, Jostens National Sports Manager and long-time friend and supporter of the ECAC.
The Harvard Crimson saw many successes during 2002-03, capturing a number of ECAC and Ivy League championships and seeing numerous teams advance to NCAA tournaments. Harvard won five national titles, including two in rowing. The women's heavyweight crew team took home the 2003 NCAA Team Championship while the men's heavyweight crew team was crowned Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Champions (IRA). The men's lightweight crew, team race sailing and co-ed sailing also captured national championships. The women's heavyweight crew also won the 2003 Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges (EAWRC) Championship and the men's heavyweight crew took home the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC) Championship.
The men's and women's ice hockey teams enjoyed great success. The women's team won the ECAC regular-season title with an impressive 15-0-1 league record and ended the season with a 30-3-1 record. The Crimson advanced to the NCAA Women's Frozen Four Championship game where they fell to three-time national champions University of Minnesota-Duluth in double overtime. The men's hockey team finished second in the ECAC regular-season standings with a 17-4-1 record while posting a 22-10-2 overall mark. The Crimson were the runners-up at the ECAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Northeast Regional Semifinals.
The men's tennis team captured the 2002 ECAC Men's Tennis Team Championship and also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The women's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the ECAC Women's Tennis Team Championship and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tennis Championships for the first time in history.
The wrestling team finished fifth at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association's (EIWA) championship while Jesse Jantzen took home the individual title at the 149-pound weight class. The women's golf team finished sixth at the ECAC Championships while the men's team was seventh. The men's fencing team captured the Intercollegiate Fencing Association's (IFA) saber championship and went on to finish eighth at the NCAA championships.
The ski team was 19th while the men's swimming and diving team finished 31st at their respective NCAA championships. Women's basketball, field hockey and men's tennis also advanced to the NCAA Championships. The Crimson had 33 all-Americans in 16 sports. Jennifer Botterill won the Patty Kazmaier Award as the nation's best women's ice hockey player for the second consecutive year and Clay Bischoff was named the Collegiate Sailor of the Year. Botterill also became the leading scorer in the history of men's or women's college hockey with 340 points.
Harvard sponsors the nation's largest Division I athletics program with 41 varsity sports and nearly 1,500 intercollegiate student-athletes. Harvard helped introduce college athletics, as its 1852 crew race against Yale is regarded as the nation's oldest intercollegiate athletics event.
Minneapolis-based Jostens, founded in 1897, is a leading provider of products, programs and services that help people celebrate important moments, recognize achievements and build affiliations. The company's products include yearbooks, class rings, graduation products, school photography and products for athletic champions and their fans.
Past awards were given to University of Maryland (2002), Williams College (2001, 1999, 1995), Georgetown University (2000), Princeton University (1998, 1996) and Middlebury College (1997).
The ECAC's membership includes 314 Divisions I, II, and III colleges and universities from Maine to North Carolina. The conference provides services to its constituents that include: administration of 113 championships and events in 35 men's and women's sports; assigning officials in 15 sports; coordinating awards; administration of affiliate organizations, conventions, meetings, marketing programs, officiating, playing leagues, public relations and special events. The ECAC serves as the primary conference for selected members in the sports of men's and women's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, men's gymnastics, wrestling, fencing and rowing.
Well, now, here's a question. How many Harvard students know that Harvard is even IN the ECAC?
My guess...not many.
The award was presented by the class ring people. I wouldn't take it too seriously if I were you. ::nut::
university of maryland is an ecac institution????
since when? ::screwy::
Actually, everyone in any of the Eastern conferences is in the ECAC. Read the last paragraph of the first post. It's basically an administrative boost to a lot of conferences (larger official pool, helps to administer championships in smaller sports, etc.).
For example, all members of the Big East, Colonial, Atlantic 10, Ivy League, Patriot League, Northeast Conference, America East and MAAC are in the ECAC in Division I. I think Penn State and Maryland are also in the group too; the ECAC website is flaking out on me.