BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Dr. Marybeth Lamb, Bridgewater State University Associate Vice President for Athletics & Student Wellness, has been selected as a recipient of the 2021-2022 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year Award.
The NACDA Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities. Lamb is one of 28 individuals recognized on all levels of college athletics and among four on the NCAA Division III level honored.
"As the intercollegiate athletics enterprise continues to evolve and institutions and their departments journey bravely into uncharted waters, we have a new wave of leaders who have answered the call," said Bob Vecchione, NACDA Chief Executive Officer. "This year, 22 of our 28 Athletics Director of the Year honorees are being recognized with the award for the first time in their careers. Additionally, in the year that we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, we are proud that all four ADOY winners at the Division III level are women."
Cushman & Wakefield is in its first year of sponsoring the award. The ADOY Award program is in its 24th year and has recognized a total of 535 deserving athletics directors to date. Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 57th Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, prior to the Featured Session on Tuesday, June 28 at 4 p.m.
Lamb, who was recently named the Associate Vice President for Athletics and Student Wellness at Bridgewater State, directs the department of Athletics and Recreation as well as oversees the Wellness Center, including Health Services and the Counseling Center. Lamb was named the Director of Athletics and Recreation at BSU in the summer of 2012. She guides a program that supports over 500 student-athletes and 22 varsity sports as well as a wide variety of sport clubs and intramural/recreational activities.
Since arriving at Bridgewater, Lamb has overseen the elevation of women’s equestrian from a club sport to varsity status in 2018 as well as the expansion of the club sport program to include women’s ice hockey, gymnastics, golf and men’s rugby. The University created four additional full-time coaching positions and enhanced its budget commitment to athletics & recreation. Fundraising initiatives including the University’s first ever “Challenge Program” and department-wide golf tournaments have raised over $300,000. In addition, major renovations to the Moriarty Pool, Swenson Track & Field, the Adrian Tinsley Center as well as Alumni Park baseball and softball fields were completed. This included the construction of the state-of-the-art Bear Paw Pavilion locker room facility for the football and track & field teams in 2020.
Recognized as a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming athletic program, Bridgewater State University was named the 2020 NCAA Division III LGBTQA Athletics Department of the Year for adopting policies and procedures that support the LGBTQA+ community from the beginning of Lamb’s tenure. Lamb was able to secure three staffing grants through the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship as well as the Strategic Alliance and Matching Grants programs. BIPOC staff appointments increased by over 300% during this time, including the appointment of the first Manager for Diversity, Inclusion and Compliance.
During her tenure, Bridgewater State has earned the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Howard C. Smith Cup three times and finished second on two occasions. Since 2012, 62 individuals have qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in cross country, swimming, track & field and wrestling, while 19 teams have advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Bears have also produced three NCAA National Champions (Jayci Andrews twice, Chris Perry), 31 All-Americans, one Paralympics Gold Medalist (Joshua Winsper), 18 conference or regional Coaches of the Year, 18 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections including two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (Sullivan Cohen, Amber White), a two-time wrestling Scholar All-American (Henry Oberlander) and three MASCAC Scholar-Athletes of the Year (Molly Rouillard, Amber White, Rocky DeAndrade).
“I am very honored and humbled to be recognized alongside the other 2022 Division III honorees,” said Lamb. “To be honored this year – the 50th anniversary of Title IX – is especially significant for me.”
“Receiving this recognition while serving the Bridgewater State University community and public higher education as a whole is heartwarming,” Lamb added. “Our students are the leaders of our future, and I am honored to have had some small part in developing these outstanding young men and women.”
Prior to coming to Bridgewater State, Lamb held the position of Director of Athletics at Regis College for ten years (2002-2012). She directed the coeducational transition of the intercollegiate athletic program including the addition of eight men's sports and two women's sports at Regis, building the program to its current 18 sport offering. During this time, Lamb oversaw the development and construction of the college's $8.5 million outdoor renovation project including the synthetic field, 8-lane track, 6 tennis courts, and softball complex. Teams at Regis have earned recognition on the conference and regional level including conference championships as well as numerous athletic and academic awards.
Lamb previously served as the Athletics Director at Newbury College in Brookline Mass., from 1993-2000. While at Newbury, teams earned recognition on the conference, regional, and national level, including three "Top 10" national finishes for both the men's and women's basketball programs as well as regional championships in soccer, basketball, and softball. In addition, she served from 1997-2000 as the NJCAA National Field Hockey Committee chairperson.
From 1985-1992 Lamb was also the head athletic trainer at Simmons College. As a certified athletic trainer, she was selected to help with the U.S. Olympic Festival at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in 1990 and 1991.
Lamb currently serves as the Chair of the NCAA’s Division III Financial Aid Committee. Past appointments have included serving on the NCAA’s Division III Field Hockey and the Strategic Alliance and Matching Grants Committees, as well as the RACs for Women’s Volleyball, Softball and Field Hockey. She also chaired the Community Outreach subcommittee for the 2006 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four. Lamb also served on the Leadership team for NADIIIAA (secretary) , including service on the Awards Committee and the Summer Forum Planning Committee. She has held leadership positions in the MASCAC including stints as Vice President and President of the Executive Committee as well as the COVID-19 Event Management Safe Return Committee, the Risk Management Committee, the Affiliate Member Task Force (with the Little East Conference), the Membership Committee and the Awards Subcommittee (chair).
Lamb has been heavily involved as an advisory board member of the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF), including serving as chairperson to the Boston Area Community Awards and Grants Committee as well as judge for the WSF's travel and training grants.
Lamb holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Boston College as well as an MBA from Simmons College. She earned both a bachelor's and master's degree in physical education at SUNY-Brockport.
