Mary Ann Hitchens, senior associate director of athletics who has been involved in Blue Hen athletics since her undergraduate years at UD in the 1960s, will receive the prestigious Katherine Ley Award from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) at the organization's fall convention Oct. 2 at Hyannis, Mass.

The Katherine Ley Award was established in 1983 to honor an eastern women's athletics administrator who exemplifies the values and characteristics displayed by the late Katherine Ley, which include being a strong proponent of women's issues; a creator of programs and opportunities for women in athletics; an idea person; a role model for women coaches and administrators; a person of demonstrated leadership who has the ability to make things happen and to work with others; a person with a sense of what the past has to offer and what the future may bring; and a person with a sense of humor that makes good times better and bad times easier to bear.

According to UD Director of Athletics Edgar Johnson, "Mary Ann Hitchens is a most worthy recipient of the Katherine Ley Award for 2000. She has been an advocate for women's sports throughout her entire career. She has led the growth of women's athletics at Delaware since 1969, and her contributions go well beyond women's athletics.

"Mary Ann has been an integral part of the operation of the entire athletics and recreation programs at the University, and her influence has left an indelible mark on us and on our conference as well. Mary Ann is a respected and admired leader in our profession, and this recognition by the ECAC is most deserved," he said.

Hitchens joined the UD staff in 1969 as freshman coach of the then-experimental women's basketball program. She was named head field hockey coach in 1973 and led the team to a 16-year record of 196-76-30, which included six national play-off appearances, five top four-finishes and a second-place Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national finish in 1978. During her tenure, she coached nine All-Americans and was East Coast Conference Coach of the Year four times.

As assistant director of athletics, she was a pioneer in the growth of an 11-sport women's program that has produced many nationally recognized teams. She served two terms as president of America East Conference from 1992-94 and was the first woman to hold that post.

In 1995, she helped coordinate the highly successful 25th anniversary celebration of University of Delaware women's athletics and received the E. Arthur Trabant Award for Women's Equity. She was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in May 1997 and last fall was part of the third class to be inducted into the University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I am deeply honored to be this year's recipient as this is a really meaningful award to me," Hitchens said. "I remember Katherine Ley and the high esteem in which she was, and still is, held in our profession and believe the selection criteria are particularly significant. It is highly rewarding and also humbling to join the distinguished group of former winners of this award, many of whom I have worked with over the years and for whom I have the highest respect."

Hitchens received her bachelor's degree in physical education from UD in 1967 and her master's degree in education from Delaware in 1971.