PURCHASE, N.Y. – Following more than 20 years in the role working closely alongside a countless number of Manhattanville College student-athletes, Dr. Lawson Bowling has announced that he will be stepping down as Faculty Athletics Representative for the Manhattanville Department of Athletics.

A long-standing member of the Valiant family, Dr. Bowling first began teaching at Manhattanville in 1984, making the daily pilgrimage to Purchase from Manhattan's Upper West Side. He would then move to campus in the fall of 1989. With his new home resulting in more prominence on campus, Dr. Bowling's roles with the college continued to grow. It was in the mid-to-late 1990s that Athletic Director Karen Peterson extended the invitation to him to join the Athletics Department in the role of Faculty Athletics Representative. 

"Specifically, the role of an NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative is to help communicate to faculty members how college athletics operate, and, when properly done as we seek to do here, complement the central mission of academic institutions such as ours at Manhattanville," Dr. Bowling said.

In his role with the Athletics Department, Dr. Bowling has served as a representative of Manhattanville Athletics at the NCAA Convention for several years, learning the ins and outs of involvement in intercollegiate athletics and the best practices in conducting them the right way.

"The NCAA has had many rules and regulations, and from time to time I would be called upon to participate in cases," Dr. Bowling said. "The Athletic Department kindly involved me in many search committees seeking new staff members as well. Athletics became much 'bigger' here at Manhattanville over the course of the last generation in every sense of that term."

While his professional affiliation with collegiate athletics began in the '90s, sports had long been a part of Dr. Bowling's life.

"I did attend the very first game in Atlanta Braves history as an 11-year-old, perhaps the first landmark worth noting," Dr. Bowling said of his relationship to the world of athletics prior to joining the department. "I was also present when Hank Aaron hit number 715, breaking Babe Ruth's home run record."

From witnessing Major League Baseball history to supporting collegiate student-athletes, Dr. Bowling noted that he occasionally attended Valiant games following his arrival to campus in 1984. However, it would be an invitation from his student Bob Kasmire from the Class of 1992 to attend one of his basketball games that began Dr. Bowling's transition into one of the most frequent attendees of Valiant athletic events and adding the history of sports into his curriculum offerings.

"Our men's lacrosse coach at the time was Ted Kolva, with whom I used to have lunch with when he was here with us, and he suggested I teach a course in sports history, something I had never thought of doing," said Dr. Bowling. "With the help of Bob and his teammate and fellow history major Tommy Pizzo '92, I developed the course and taught it for many years, reinforcing my links with Manhattanville's student-athletes."

From there, Dr. Bowling's presence continued to expand alongside the college's athletic offerings. During his time at Manhattanville, Dr. Bowling witnessed the birth of several new teams, including the Valiant ice hockey programs at the turn of the century.

"Adding two varsity ice hockey teams was the most striking, and quite unexpected, change," Dr. Bowling added. "These teams brought us to the attention of students from far away places where we were barley known, if at all, and would ultimately lead to me learning more about some of these places as well as visiting them. My role in this expansion and other moves of growth was certainly modest compared to that of others and largely supportive."

Dr. Bowling was also involved in the formation of Manhattanville's Athletic Hall of Fame, helping to recognize the Valiant greats of the past.

"It was very fun to have been involved in the creation of the Athletic Hall of Fame, and as great an honor as I've ever received to have been asked by Bob Lasbury to introduce him at his induction ceremony," Dr. Bowling added.

Lasbury, a member of the Manhattanville College Class of 1996, was inducted into the Manhattanville Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. A member of both the men's basketball and baseball rosters during his time at Manhattanville, Lasbury was the first graduate of the college for be drafted by a big-four professional sports team, selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 14^th round of the 1993 MLB Amateur Draft.

As he gets set to transition from his role within Manhattanville Athletics, Dr. Bowling shared what he hoped Valiants, both past and present, take away from their time at the college.

"The NCAA like to point out in its public relations effort than 98 percent of student-athletes will be going pro in something other than sports," Dr. Bowling said. "'The Valiant Way' is as good a compendium of how to act, how to live, as we have, so read it, re-read it, keep it in your mind and heart. I subscribe to our saying, 'Once a Valiant, always a Valiant.' Remember the good things you made happen here and those who helped you make them happen. Stay connected, build the legacy so that those who follow you can have their own great experience and keep it all going."

In honor of Dr. Bowling's long-standing legacy on Manhattanville's student-athletes, the department has renamed its annual Scholar-Athletes of the Year awards to the Dr. Lawson Bowling Manhattanville Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year, presented annually at the department's award banquet. 

Another long-standing friend and supporter of Manhattanville Athletics, Dr. Amy Bass will succeed Dr. Bowling and assume the role of Faculty Athletic Representative beginning in Fall 2023. Dr. Bass has already begun expanding her role in the department this past spring, serving as the advisor for the Alpha Phi Chapter of the Chi Alpha Sigma national collegiate athlete honor society which held its inaugural induction class this past March. 

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