FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Linda LeMura to Chair the NE10 Council of Presidents.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Northeast-10 Conference is excited to announce its leadership for the upcoming 2021-22 academic year, which includes new chairmen in the Council of Presidents, Vice Presidents Council and Athletics Council – as well as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
"Leadership has never been more crucial in the NE10 than it is right now, as we continue to navigate this COVID-19 pandemic," said NE10 Commissioner Julie Ruppert. "I would like to thank those who served leadership roles in 2020-21, which proved to be the most challenging year in recent memory, and I look forward to working with our new leadership in mapping a strong path forward for our league and our resilient member institutions."
Dr. Linda LeMura, the President of Le Moyne College, has been named the newest chair of the Council of Presidents, replacing Franklin Pierce University President Dr. Kim Mooney in the role. Vice chair will be served by Dr. Steven Kaplan, the President at the University of New Haven.
"I am honored to serve as chair of the Council of Presidents and look forward to working with Commissioner Julie Ruppert in this role over the next year," said LeMura. "Even as we take time to reflect on what lies ahead, I'm excited about what the future holds for the NE10 and its member institutions."
Stonehill's Pauline Dobrowski, the Vice President of Student Affairs, has been tabbed as the chair of the Vice Presidents Council. Dobrowski takes over for Southern New Hampshire's Heather Lorenz, also a Vice President of Student Affairs.
Franklin Pierce Director of Athletics Rachel Burleson will serve as chair of the Athletics Council – a group that consists of athletic directors and senior woman administrators at all 14 of the NE10's member institutions. Burleson replaces Chris Kenny, the Director of Athletics at Saint Michael's.
The Sport Administration Council will be led by Stonehill's Steve Fitzgerald, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, as he takes the reigns from New Haven's Robin Salters, Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA). The Council consists of institutional representatives who review sport policies, as they relate to student-athlete welfare, budget and competition equity.
Additionally – the NE10 is proud to unveil its SAAC officers for 2021-22, which will be spearheaded by Male and Female Co-Chairs Kyle O'Connor and Jackie Brown, respectively. O'Connor is a football player at Franklin Pierce, while Brown plays field hockey at Adelphi and is serving as a SAAC officer for the second-straight year (Female Co-Vice Chair in 2020-21).
Male Co-Vice Chair will be Stonehill's Reilly Johnston and Female Co-Vice Chair will be Le Moyne's Ali Greco. Johnston is a cross country and track & field athlete for the Skyhawks, while Greco plays soccer for the Dolphins.
The NE10 SAAC, as a whole, consists of 29 student-athletes, with one male and one female representative from each of the league's 14 member institutions. Southern New Hampshire has three SAAC members, as field hockey player Kate Pigsley serves on the National SAAC, as sponsored by the NCAA.
The Council of Presidents, Athletics Council, Sport Administration Council and SAAC officers are all one-year appointments, while the rest of the positions are two-year appointments.
The remaining chairs are returning to their positions for the 2021-22 school year: Saint Michael's Meggan Dulude for Senior Woman Administrators, Southern Connecticut's Matt Letkowski for Compliance Council, New Haven's Dan Ruede for Communications Council, Saint Anselm's Mike Sirois for Sports Medicine Council and American International's Jill McCarthy Payne for Faculty Athletic Representatives.
The first official date of NE10 fall competition is Thursday, September 2. For the full composite schedule, click HERE.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
