SUNY Cortland Athletics

Sandy Weeden, the SUNY Stony Brook women's athletics director since 1973, has remained a tireless worker for intercollegiate women's sports on Long Island and throughout New York State. A Hamilton (N.Y.) High physical education instructor in 1969, Weeden had been out of SUNY Cortland for only two years when SUNY Stony Brook attracted her with a position in its physical education department.

The Patriot women's basketball coach for 13 seasons, she also coached tennis and softball for two seasons. In 1972 and 1974, Weeden was selected as Stony Brook Coach of the Year. In 1982 she received the Stony Brook V.I.P. Booster Club Service Award. Weeden, as associate professor of physical education, has long been active with the Stony Brook Homecoming Committee and the Admissions Recruitment Program. In 1985, Weeden was recognized by Stony Brook for Exceptional Service to Undergraduate Education. Over the years, Weeden has remained active in the New York State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NYSAIAW), which last year became the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association. The NYSAIAW president in 1981-82, she has served on the softball and basketball steering committees, the service award committee, and as the nominations chairperson. She has directed championship teams in basketball, volleyball and swimming. Weeden was the 1985 NYSAIAW Service Award recipient.

Regionally, Weeden chaired the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Basketball Selection Committee and directed the 1986 ECAC Metro NY/NJ Basketball Championship. A member of the Metropolitan Collegiate Basketball Association Negotiating Committee for two years, Weeden has assisted as a hostess for two Section XI High School County Basketball Championships. She initiated the Outstanding Coach Award for the Suffolk County Women's High School Basketball Association. Nationally, Weeden has been on the NCAA Women's Soccer Committee since 1985 and chaired the Northeast Regional Women's Soccer Committee.

A native of Guilford, N.Y., Weeden played field hockey and basketball at SUNY Cortland at a time when intercollegiate varsity competition for women was starting to emerge. "Integrity, loyalty and discipline, all important foundations for my professional development, were demanded," said Weeden. "The most important aspect of my athletic experience at Cortland was the exposure to the potential growth of women's athletics. Cortland provided me with a starting point and a vision. Since that initial opportunity, I have devoted my life to developing the athletic program for the hundreds of young women at Stony Brook." Weeden, a talented softball player who was voted M.V.P. in the 1975 ASA Regional Tournament, earned a B.S. in physical education from Cortland in 1967 and a master's degree from the University of North Carolina in 1972.