Andy Noel announces his retirement!

[Ken711]

David Archer better hope he has a winning season this Fall or it's highly likely it's bye bye under a new AD!

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Andy Noel, whose leadership has guided Cornell to unprecedented athletics' success in the 21st century, has announced plans to retire as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education. Noel will serve in the position through the end of the 2021-22 academic year and into the 2022-23 academic year until a successor is named. A national search will commence in late summer.

Serving in his 23rd season as athletics director and his 42nd year at Cornell overall, Noel is the longest tenured Ivy League athletics director, the second-longest in Cornell history behind the legendary Bob Kane '34, and the 12th longest in Division I among more than 350 schools playing at the highest level of collegiate sports.

"When I arrived in Ithaca 40 years ago, I did not anticipate that over four decades of my professional life would be fully invested in all things Big Red,\\" Noel said. \\"This moment harkens deep feelings of gratitude for the thousands of alumni who have supported our dedicated staff and the young adults who have benefited mightily from their mentorship. Beloved colleagues, outstanding coaches, program leaders and many thousands of athletes have earned my respect and care, shaping my life in ways that find me forever blessed.\\"
 
Noel's legacy of student-centered leadership, as well as his laser-focused commitment and loyalty to his coaches and staff, has been the foundation upon which he built an athletics department considered a model by those who value excellence on the competition field, in the classroom and beyond.
 
"Following a career spanning more than four decades including 23 years as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics, it is impossible to put into words the impact that Andy Noel has had on the Big Red, said Ryan Lombardi, Cornell's Vice President for Student & Campus Life. \\"Andy has been a champion for Cornell student athletes, our coaching staff, and our Cornell athletics alumni throughout his tenure. I am grateful for the strong foundation he has created for our Big Red athletics community and am excited to see the impacts of the legacy he leaves.\\"
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Andy Noel, whose leadership has guided Cornell to unprecedented athletics' success in the 21st century, has announced plans to retire as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education. Noel will serve in the position through the end of the 2021-22 academic year and into the 2022-23 academic year until a successor is named. A national search will commence in late summer.

Serving in his 23rd season as athletics director and his 42nd year at Cornell overall, Noel is the longest tenured Ivy League athletics director, the second-longest in Cornell history behind the legendary Bob Kane '34, and the 12th longest in Division I among more than 350 schools playing at the highest level of collegiate sports.

"When I arrived in Ithaca 40 years ago, I did not anticipate that over four decades of my professional life would be fully invested in all things Big Red," Noel said. "This moment harkens deep feelings of gratitude for the thousands of alumni who have supported our dedicated staff and the young adults who have benefited mightily from their mentorship. Beloved colleagues, outstanding coaches, program leaders and many thousands of athletes have earned my respect and care, shaping my life in ways that find me forever blessed.\\"
 
Noel's legacy of student-centered leadership, as well as his laser-focused commitment and loyalty to his coaches and staff, has been the foundation upon which he built an athletics department considered a model by those who value excellence on the competition field, in the classroom and beyond.
 
"Following a career spanning more than four decades including 23 years as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics, it is impossible to put into words the impact that Andy Noel has had on the Big Red, said Ryan Lombardi, Cornell's Vice President for Student & Campus Life. \\"Andy has been a champion for Cornell student athletes, our coaching staff, and our Cornell athletics alumni throughout his tenure. I am grateful for the strong foundation he has created for our Big Red athletics community and am excited to see the impacts of the legacy he leaves.

[Swampy]

David Archer better hope he has a winning season this Fall or it's highly likely it's bye bye under a new AD!

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Andy Noel, whose leadership has guided Cornell to unprecedented athletics' success in the 21st century, has announced plans to retire as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education. Noel will serve in the position through the end of the 2021-22 academic year and into the 2022-23 academic year until a successor is named. A national search will commence in late summer.

Serving in his 23rd season as athletics director and his 42nd year at Cornell overall, Noel is the longest tenured Ivy League athletics director, the second-longest in Cornell history behind the legendary Bob Kane '34, and the 12th longest in Division I among more than 350 schools playing at the highest level of collegiate sports.

"When I arrived in Ithaca 40 years ago, I did not anticipate that over four decades of my professional life would be fully invested in all things Big Red,\\" Noel said. \\"This moment harkens deep feelings of gratitude for the thousands of alumni who have supported our dedicated staff and the young adults who have benefited mightily from their mentorship. Beloved colleagues, outstanding coaches, program leaders and many thousands of athletes have earned my respect and care, shaping my life in ways that find me forever blessed.\\"
 
Noel's legacy of student-centered leadership, as well as his laser-focused commitment and loyalty to his coaches and staff, has been the foundation upon which he built an athletics department considered a model by those who value excellence on the competition field, in the classroom and beyond.
 
"Following a career spanning more than four decades including 23 years as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics, it is impossible to put into words the impact that Andy Noel has had on the Big Red, said Ryan Lombardi, Cornell's Vice President for Student & Campus Life. \\"Andy has been a champion for Cornell student athletes, our coaching staff, and our Cornell athletics alumni throughout his tenure. I am grateful for the strong foundation he has created for our Big Red athletics community and am excited to see the impacts of the legacy he leaves.\\"
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Andy Noel, whose leadership has guided Cornell to unprecedented athletics' success in the 21st century, has announced plans to retire as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education. Noel will serve in the position through the end of the 2021-22 academic year and into the 2022-23 academic year until a successor is named. A national search will commence in late summer.

Serving in his 23rd season as athletics director and his 42nd year at Cornell overall, Noel is the longest tenured Ivy League athletics director, the second-longest in Cornell history behind the legendary Bob Kane '34, and the 12th longest in Division I among more than 350 schools playing at the highest level of collegiate sports.

"When I arrived in Ithaca 40 years ago, I did not anticipate that over four decades of my professional life would be fully invested in all things Big Red," Noel said. "This moment harkens deep feelings of gratitude for the thousands of alumni who have supported our dedicated staff and the young adults who have benefited mightily from their mentorship. Beloved colleagues, outstanding coaches, program leaders and many thousands of athletes have earned my respect and care, shaping my life in ways that find me forever blessed.\\"
 
Noel's legacy of student-centered leadership, as well as his laser-focused commitment and loyalty to his coaches and staff, has been the foundation upon which he built an athletics department considered a model by those who value excellence on the competition field, in the classroom and beyond.
 
"Following a career spanning more than four decades including 23 years as the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics, it is impossible to put into words the impact that Andy Noel has had on the Big Red, said Ryan Lombardi, Cornell's Vice President for Student & Campus Life. \\"Andy has been a champion for Cornell student athletes, our coaching staff, and our Cornell athletics alumni throughout his tenure. I am grateful for the strong foundation he has created for our Big Red athletics community and am excited to see the impacts of the legacy he leaves.

Maybe he'll apply for the job.

[George64]

Maybe he'll apply for the job.

I hate to be so negative about a fellow alum, but if the Peter Principle is to be taken seriously, he's already plateaued.
.

[Swampy]

Maybe he'll apply for the job.

I hate to be so negative about a fellow alum, but if the Peter Principle is to be taken seriously, he's already plateaued.
.

Depends on what level you rank AD relative to Head Football Coach. Take, for example, Nick Saban.

[billhoward]

Depends on what level you rank AD relative to Head Football Coach. Take, for example, Nick Saban.

A sense of decency toward the idea that Knowledge Is Good (Faber College, 1978) kept you from omitting the college president's place in the pecking order.

[billhoward]

Knowing that many here regard Andy Noel as the blind squirrel who finds some nuts ... does he get credit for Connor Buczek and the lacrosse team's incredible run from "unlikely to make a deep run" to the closest anybody came to beating Maryland?

[RichH]

Knowing that many here regard Andy Noel as the blind squirrel who finds some nuts ... does he get credit for Connor Buczek and the lacrosse team's incredible run from "unlikely to make a deep run" to the closest anybody came to beating Maryland?

Really, bill??

He has "Just elevate the assistant" as an autocomplete shortcut on his phone.

DeLuca, Kerwick, Milliman, Buczek were all assistant/associate coaches. Andy doesn't choose the assistants. And he sure as hell doesn't lift a finger for a search. He can rubber stamp the hire, great, but credit the head coaches for finding their own quality staff —> successors.

Want to know how together this Athletic Derpartment is under this buffoon? These pages are still up and accessible online:

https://cornellbigred.com/sports/mens-lacrosse/roster/coaches/ben-deluca/451

https://cornellbigred.com/sports/mens-lacrosse/roster/coaches/peter-milliman/3110

[Al DeFlorio]

Knowing that many here regard Andy Noel as the blind squirrel who finds some nuts ... does he get credit for Connor Buczek and the lacrosse team's incredible run from "unlikely to make a deep run" to the closest anybody came to beating Maryland?

Really, bill??

He has "Just elevate the assistant" as an autocomplete shortcut on his phone.

DeLuca, Kerwick, Milliman, Buczek were all assistant/associate coaches. Andy doesn't choose the assistants. And he sure as hell doesn't lift a finger for a search. He can rubber stamp the hire, great, but credit the head coaches for finding their own quality staff —> successors.

Want to know how together this Athletic Derpartment is under this buffoon? These pages are still up and accessible online:

https://cornellbigred.com/sports/mens-lacrosse/roster/coaches/ben-deluca/451

https://cornellbigred.com/sports/mens-lacrosse/roster/coaches/peter-milliman/3110

Add Tambroni to your list of elevated lacrosse associate coaches.

[billhoward]

Connor Buczek was ~27 when he was named Cornell head coach. That was something of a risk to take, at a time when Brown - Penn - Yale - maybe Harvard were showing the ability to be top-ten teams and Cornell lacrosse was mired in that era of Could Make the Playoffs, Title Game Quite Iffy.

[Chris '03]

Knowing that many here regard Andy Noel as the blind squirrel who finds some nuts ... does he get credit for Connor Buczek and the lacrosse team's incredible run from "unlikely to make a deep run" to the closest anybody came to beating Maryland?

No.

[Swampy]

Knowing that many here regard Andy Noel as the blind squirrel who finds some nuts ... does he get credit for Connor Buczek and the lacrosse team's incredible run from "unlikely to make a deep run" to the closest anybody came to beating Maryland?

No.

I think RichH is right on the money. If Andy had done national searches for the previous three lacrosse coaches and hired them externally, the I'd give him credit for recognizing the diamond in the rough that Buczek was. But AN's history suggests a combination of relying on prior coaches' choices of assistants and not wanting to spend the resources to do a search.

Consider AN's use of the "Interim" label. It's a CYA strategy for mediocre AD's if there ever was one. If the newly promoted coach succeeds, the AD looks like a genius. If the coach fails, the AD has successfully kicked the can, of undertaking the expense and effort of doing a national search, down the road. And if, as might be most likely, the new "Interim" coach has some level of success, the AD might reasonably be satisfied with some level at or slightly above mediocre. (Exhibit A: Archer). Who gives a shit if during the "Interim," Cornell loses 5-star recruits to the likes of Yale and Princeton because such recruits reasonably did not want to commit to a school where the coach who recruited them might be given a pink slip next year?

Remember even Buczek was "Interim," and were it not for COVID he might still be.

[billhoward]

There were some not-ridiculous reasons for naming interim lacrosse coaches, certainly including continuity. Ben DeLuca was let go fall 2013, not the time for find the right head coach, so assistant Matt Kerwick was named as interim. Kerwick was dismissed May 2017 and associate head coach Peter Millman was moved up, again as interim; this promotion maybe could have been made a permanent hire. Then Millman left for Hopkins April 2020 during Covid (going 4-9 and 7-9 at Hopkins) and Buczek then an assistant got moved up at, what, 26 or 27, and given the chance to prove himself. Which he did.

[Swampy]

There were some not-ridiculous reasons for naming interim lacrosse coaches, certainly including continuity. Ben DeLuca was let go fall 2013, not the time for find the right head coach, so assistant Matt Kerwick was named as interim. Kerwick was dismissed May 2017 and associate head coach Peter Millman was moved up, again as interim; this promotion maybe could have been made a permanent hire. Then Millman left for Hopkins April 2020 during Covid (going 4-9 and 7-9 at Hopkins) and Buczek then an assistant got moved up at, what, 26 or 27, and given the chance to prove himself. Which he did.

With the exception of the DeLuca -> Kerwick transition, my answer would be that other schools, in similar circumstances, did extensive searches rather than just promote interim coaches from within. Example: Hopkins had to deal with Covid too, and yet they hired Millman from outside. Of course the situation was different: Hopkins was dissatisfied with their program, so they wanted to look outside. But then again, looking at how Millman has done at JHU, perhaps they should have tried the "Interim" label on him too.