By Jennifer Toland, Telegram & Gazette Staff
When former Clark director of athletics Linda
Moulton receives the National Association of
Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators Lifetime Achievement Award
during the NACWAA National Convention Monday in San Diego, she will
have four minutes to deliver her acceptance speech.
That hardly seems like enough time to reflect on her decades of
dedication to college athletics, including the 24 years she spent
at Clark.
"It's made me think about what is the message I want to send in
addition to acknowledging so many people," said Moulton, who
retired from Clark in February 2011. "I have been fortunate to have
been affiliated with some of the finest colleges and universities
in the country and worked with wonderful athletes, coaches and
administrators. I'm so honored by this wonderful award and I'm
really humbled by it."
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to
administrators who have dedicated their careers to advancing women
in sport, rendered meritorious service and retired from or are no
longer directly involved in the profession. Honorees are nominated
by their peers and selected by past Lifetime Achievement Award
winners.
Moulton is one of five women who will be honored with a Lifetime
Achievement Award this year.
Moulton was on the NACWAA board when the award was established in
1998. There have been about 70 recipients since and Moulton is the
ninth from Division 3 to be honored.
"That makes it special, too," Moulton said.
Moulton replaced Wally
Halas as Clark's AD in 1987. She was
previously director of athletics at Wellesley College, associate
director of athletics at Smith and athletic administrative
consultant at William & Mary. Moulton was Worcester's second
female college AD, after Assumption's Rita
Castagna.
"I remember Wally called me and said, 'You should look at the
job,'" said Moulton, who was working at William & Mary at the
time. "Clark's hiring of me at the time, when there were really far
fewer women leading athletic programs in the country, was really, I
think, a tremendous tribute to Clark for being willing to give a
woman an opportunity. I've always felt very fortunate for that and
for Wally's encouragement. Those things led me down the path that
I'm not sure would have happened otherwise."
During her tenure in college athletic administration, Moulton was
lauded as a highly respected leader in Division 3 while serving on
numerous NCAA committees.
At Clark, her achievements included the increase in full-time head
coaches and the establishment of Friends of Clark Athletics and the
Clark University Athletic Hall of Fame. She was instrumental in the
Granger Field Complex project. Under Moulton, eight teams
represented Clark at NCAA Division 3 tournaments and
championships.
Among the other honors Moulton received during her career were the
Jostens District Administrator of the Year Award for outstanding
contributions to the NACWAA and the Jeanne Rowlands Merit Award for
outstanding service by the Massachusetts Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (MAIAW).
"Linda has had an extraordinary impact on women's athletics,"
longtime Clark women's basketball coach Pat
Glispin said. "For me personally,
Linda has meant so much to my career, not only as a coach but as a
leader of young women."
Moulton has remained in the Worcester area since retiring from
Clark, has kept busy and has continued to follow Cougars
athletics.
"I knew when I retired I'd be someone who couldn't sit still," she
said.
A number of family members will be on hand to see Moulton receive
the award next week.
"It's such a wonderful award knowing the history of it and what it
means to the association," Moulton said, "and it's made me reflect
on all of my years in athletic administration. It's also a
wonderful opportunity to celebrate with all the people who have
been an important part of my life, my family and friends, and bring
people together."