Post University Women’s Lacrosse Commissioner Dan Mara
The Post University women’s lacrosse program is on the brink of a turnaround after posting a 2-12 season last year. Dobratz is hoping that the program can get back to the winning ways it had as a program during her time at Iona University. Zazzaro was the first junior captain of the Blue Knights under head coach Davina Hernandez, but she chose not to major in a specific field. She liked the competitive atmosphere and range of academic opportunities offered by Iona University.
Dan Mara
The University of Bridgeport has announced it will join the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference after this school year. The announcement was made by the conference commissioner, Dan Mara. Mara’s poll was voted on by ten head coaches. Mara gave Georgian Court University 85 points, including six first-place votes. Wilmington University and Thomas Jefferson University rounded out the top three. Mara, who is the conference commissioner, noted that he is looking forward to seeing what the teams do next.
After graduating from Post University, Mara began his career as an assistant coach at Caldwell University. He played varsity soccer for the Hearts last fall and varsity baseball this spring. Mara had played lacrosse as a freshman and transferred to Sacred Heart as a sophomore. He then joined the Nonnewaug club program. The following year, he was named the team’s assistant coach.
Dan Mara is a versatile multisport athlete
The versatile Mara has already made an impact as a lacrosse player. He has been the head coach at Mitchell College and Post University. He also served as commissioner of the CACC in 2006. Mara will study sports management in college, and has plans to continue his athletic career as an athlete. He has a son, Danny, who is a sophomore at Anna Maria College.
Outside of the field, Mara is an award-winning administrator and hall-of-fame coach. Mara served as the CACC Commissioner for eleven years and transitioned the Eagles from NAIA to NCAA Division II. During his tenure, the athletic program expanded from five varsity sports to twelve, including two club sports. He also received many honors, including the CACC’s Award for Outstanding Leadership and a nomination to the NAIA Region X Hall of Fame.
Dan Mara was a head women’s basketball coach at Post University
Before becoming a head women’s basketball coach at the CACC, Mara coached at the junior college level in New London, Connecticut. He also held the record for the longest regular-season winning streak in college basketball. Mara was roomed with a 16-year-old Samoyed mix named Pep. The two sat beside each other at home games during the 1994 season. Mara has been considered the father figure for potential athletes, taking care of those who cannot go to four-year colleges.
Mara spent ten years coaching women’s basketball at Mitchell College. His teams won 10 NJCAA New England titles, reached two NJCAA Final Fours, and finished 290-16 over that time. Additionally, during Mara’s tenure, the Pequots went undefeated in their conference’s top poll five times. He is also a nine-time member of the Irish Education 100, which honors the most influential educators of Irish heritage.
Dan Mara played lacrosse for Post University
Before becoming a college athletic director, Dan Mara coached women’s basketball for Mitchell College and was the head women’s basketball coach at Post University. In 2006, he was named commissioner of the CACC. In addition to coaching women’s lacrosse, Mara also coached men’s basketball. He will study sports management in college. He was also a member of the Post University women’s lacrosse team.
The CACC is one of the nation’s top conferences and a premier program. Dan Mara played lacrosse for Post University women’s lacrosse from 2001-03. As the former assistant coach of the Post women’s basketball team, Mara also coached the Mitchell men’s basketball team. His success was not only impressive on the court, but off it as well. In fact, 98 percent of the women’s basketball team graduated from the school and an equal number went on to attend four-year colleges and universities.
Dan Mara was an assistant coach at Western Connecticut State
Mara has held various leadership positions within the NCAA, including serving as Vice President and Chair of the Division II Management Council. He was also a member of the NCAA’s Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee. He also served as the Chairman of the Division II Identity Sub-Committee. In addition, he currently serves as a member of the USILA Board of Directors.
Prior to joining the women’s staff, Mara coached the men’s team at Western Connecticut State. During her time at the school, she coached 10 Kodak All-Americans, including Rita Williams, who went on to play WNBA. She was the 12th pick in the WNBA Draft in 1998. The Mitchell Program has produced more than a dozen Division I basketball players. In addition, 98 percent of Mitchell athletes graduated and equal numbers continued their education at four-year institutions.
Dan Mara was a member of the Northeast-10 Conference
A former member of the Northeast-10 Conference, Mara served as the organization’s President from 2007 to 2010 and as Vice-President from 2006 to 2008. He also served on the ECAC’s Board of Directors and chaired the NCAA’s Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee. In addition, he served on the NCAA’s Division II Membership Committee, and is currently a member of the NCAA’s Division II Collegiate Commissioners Association.
Mara has a wealth of experience in athletics, having served as President and Associate Vice-President of Post University in Massachusetts. He also served as the president of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) from 2008 to 2010, and was a member of its Commissioner Search Committee in 2007. He has served on the ECAC League and Affiliates Committee, and the ECAC Strategic Planning Committee.
