Antoinette Tiburzi, professor emerita of physical education and an accomplished Cortland coach and administrator, was a leader within New York State women’s athletics organizations and has been, for nearly 40 years now, a strong proponent for Cortland student-athletes.
She retired from Cortland in 2003 after 33 years of service and was awarded the additional honor of associate provost emerita of enrollment management. Tiburzi came to SUNY Cortland in 1969 and, except for her two-year doctoral degree residency at the University of Georgia from 1977-79, spent her professional career at the College.
A native of the Bronx, N.Y., Tiburzi grew up in Cheektowaga, N.Y. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from SUNY Buffalo, a master’s degree in physical education/statistics from The Pennsylvania State University and an Ed.D. in measurement/curriculum from the University of Georgia.
She was a physical education teacher and coach at Clarence (N.Y.) Senior High School prior to joining the SUNY Cortland Physical Education Department faculty in 1969 as an instructor. She was soon promoted to assistant professor, then to associate professor in 1979 and professor in 2003.
As the Cortland women’s gymnastics coach between 1969-75, Tiburzi directed the Red Dragons to four New York State titles. She also coached the tennis squad in 1969-70.
Tiburzi was the gymnastics secretary for the New York State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NYSAIAW). A national official in volleyball, basketball and softball, she chaired the committee coordinating officials in New York State. She was the first president of the New York State Council of Women’s Sport Officiating Board and chair of the NYSAIAW. She was appointed by the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women to serve on its first Basketball Officiating Committee charged with upgrading collegiate officiating in that sport.
She served as associate chairperson for academic affairs in the SUNY Cortland Physical Education Department, coordinated the student teaching program within the department, served as women’s athletics director for one year, and was a staff coordinator of the College’s Physical Education Program at Raquette Lake.
From 1989-95, Tiburzi was associate dean in the School of Professional Studies. She served briefly as interim associate vice president for academic affairs during the summer of 1995 before becoming associate provost for enrollment management. She guided SUNY Cortland’s resurgence in admissions during the late 1990s. In Spring 2001, she was the acting provost and vice president for academic affairs.
A charter member of Phi Kappa Phi at SUNY Cortland, Tiburzi was honored by the Chapter in April 2003 with the creation of the annual Antoinette “Toni” Tiburzi Award for Academic Achievement.
In retirement, Tiburzi is president of the local State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) Committee and serves on the Cortland C-Club Board, the Cortland College Foundation Board and the YWCA Golf Committee.
