Letter Courtesy of the Office of the President
I am writing to you today with some bittersweet news. Scott Allison '79, our Director of Athletics, has announced he will retire at the end of this academic year.
During his 36 years at Roanoke College, Scott has worked tirelessly to advance our athletic reputation, boost team spirit, and improve the lives of countless student-athletes. I know that all of us who love Roanoke College are grateful for his leadership and friendship.
As a leader, alumnus and parent, Scott's connections to Roanoke College run deep. He is one of the longest-tenured and most respected administrators in NCAA Division III athletics, and his love for Maroon athletics is evident. Under Scott's leadership, Roanoke College teams have won more than 100 Old Dominion Athletic Conference titles and made 131 NCAA Championship appearances. Over the last decade, he also helped oversee the significant expansion of Roanoke College athletics, including the opening of the Cregger Center and the addition of several new sports, including wrestling, men's volleyball, and men's and women's swimming and competitive cycling.
A 1991 inductee into the Roanoke Athletic Hall of Fame, Scott served as head coach of the Roanoke College men's soccer program for 26 years and led the Maroons to eight ODAC Championships and six appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament. For his efforts, he was named the ODAC Coach of the Year seven times and Virginia College Division Coach of the Year over four campaigns. He was also named the NSCAA Division III South Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year in both 1993 and 2012.
As a student-athlete, Scott captained both the men's soccer and men's lacrosse teams. He was a member of Roanoke's 1978 National Championship lacrosse team, an All-ODAC and All-region selection in soccer, and RC's Male Athlete of the Year in 1979.
Please join me in offering a hearty thanks and congratulations to Scott and his wife Bonnie as they move into this new and well-earned season of life. We will come together in the spring to celebrate Scott's enormous legacy.
A national search for a new athletic director will be launched in the new year.
With hope and admiration,
—
Frank Shushok Jr., Ph.D.
President
