Louise Moseley grew up in Gaffney, S.C., and her Southern drawl had become one of her trademarks, but Louise made her most lasting impression as SUNY Cortland's director of Women's Athletics between 1966 and 1978. Under Moseley's watchful eye, modern-day intercollegiate athletics for women was ushered to Cortland. "I have seen the women's intercollegiate program at Cortland State grow from its beginning," recalled Moseley, who retired from the College in 1985. "In 1966, the faculty voted to allow us to conduct intercollegiate programs on a regularly contracted basis in gymnastics, swimming and basketball. Other sports were added after the first year. Our goal was to achieve a well-balanced program for our women athletes who desired intercollegiate competition," added Moseley, who served as Women's Athletic Association (WAA) and Women's Intramurals advisor from 1964 to 1968. "We strongly urged that the intramural program be kept strong and that the club system be retained in order to provide for all levels of athletic competition. We also believed that the total athletic program was important at Cortland and that men and women should retain and/or grow in strength equally."
Moseley was a pioneer for women's athletics. She attended the first Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) meeting to help organize the umbrella organization for women's sports. She also helped initiate the New York State AIAW and served on its executive committee. Through her foresight, Moseley allowed Cortland to remain in the forefront of national women's intercollegiate competition. During Moseley's tenure, the Red Dragon basketball team went to the first national tournament ever held for women, while the volleyball squad competed in a national tourney in Florida. Where national championships didn't exist, Cortland teams could be found vying for state and regional titles.
Moseley received her bachelor's degree from Limestone College in her native Gaffney. She later earned a master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a doctorate in special education from the University of Sarasota, the latter so that she could assist with the growing program of athletics for the handicapped. Indeed, Moseley will be equally remembered for her efforts in the area of special education. Her twice weekly evening recreation programs for handicapped children and adults have become a part of the Park Center routine.
Moseley also served as co-director of Grassy Pond Day Camp for physically handicapped children. Before coming to Cortland, Moseley had worked at Blue Mountain College in Mississippi, North Carolina's Brevard College and Greensboro College, the University of Maryland, and Rock Terrace Special School in Maryland.
UPDATE: The Glass Dining Room at Camp Huntington, Raquette Lake, was named in Moseley's honor by Theta Phi Sorority in 2005. Moseley passed away on December 28, 2015, at age 91.
