Caldwell University Assistant VP/Director of Athletics Mark A. Corino Named CACC AD of the Year

NEW HAVEN, Conn.- Caldwell University Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Mark A. Corino was recently voted by his peers as the 2020-21 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) AD of the Year. The announcement of the honor was made by CACC Commissioner Dan Mara. The voting was conducted by the league’s 14 athletic directors, as they honored Corino for his hard work in helping to lead the conference during the pandemic with his fellow administrators. This is Corino’s third CACC AD of the Year honor as he was previously recognized in 1999-2000 and 2016-17.
 
“I have worked with Mark Corino for more than two decades and this is a tremendous honor that recognizes his hard work in helping to shape the CACC as one of the finest conferences in Division II,” Commissioner Mara said. “The past 12 months have been trying for all of our administrators, and Mark has led by example in taking part in a myriad of meetings at the conference and national levels. There has been a lot of information that he has had to process, but he has made sure that his fellow athletic directors are kept up to date with the latest developments to help them make the most informed decision during the pandemic.”
 
Corino, who serves as the Chair of the CACC Directors Council, has guided dozens of virtual meetings with conference athletic directors over the past 12 months. He has helped the league craft guidance and rules for how the league will conduct intercollegiate athletic competition in a safe and responsible manner during the 2020-21 season.
 
“It is truly an honor to be recognized by my peers in the conference as the CACC AD of the Year,” said Corino. “I am fortunate to work with a great group of athletic directors and conference staff. It has been a challenging year but rewarding to work with my peers for the betterment of our student-athletes. I am thankful for our university president Dr. Matthew Whelan, the board of trustees and the cabinet for the opportunity to have our student-athletes compete during this difficult year.”
 
In addition to the myriad of duties as the Chair, Corino also serves on the prestigious NCAA Division II Management Council, which helps chart the course of the national organization at the D2 level. In his role on management council, Corino has taken part in dozens of virtual meetings to help guarantee student-athletes have the opportunity to compete this season in a safe way while navigating through the pandemic.
 
When he hasn’t been part of virtual meetings for the league, NCAA and his own institution, Corino also serves as the school’s men’s basketball head coach. Under his guidance this winter, Caldwell went 5-4 and advanced to this weekend’s NCAA Division II East Region Tournament in Albany, N.Y. The Cougars are the fifth seed in the tournament, and will take on fellow CACC member Dominican College (#4 seed) in the regional first round on Saturday night at 6 p.m.
 
Caldwell is also among the league leaders in academic achievement. During the 2019-20 academic year, 13 Caldwell teams that compete in the CACC posted team-wide grade point averages of 3.0 or better. In November, the NCAA announced its latest Academic Success Rate (ASR) scores, and Caldwell ranked among the top third in NCAA Division II with a 90 percent average.