Springfield College is a

private university Private universities and private colleges are higher education institutions not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. However, they often receive tax breaks, public student loans, and government grants. Depending on the count ...

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...

, United States. The institution's mission, called the Humanics philosophy, calls for educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others It is also notable for its historical significance as the birthplace of

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

, which was invented on campus in 1891 by Canadian-American instructor and graduate student

James Naismith James Naismith (; November 6, 1861November 28, 1939) was a Scottish-Canadian-American physical educator, physician, Christian chaplain, and sports coach, best known as the inventor of the game of basketball. After moving to the United State ...

History

Founded in 1885, as the Young Men's Christian Association department of the School for Christian Workers in Springfield, the school originally specialized in preparing young men to become General Secretaries of YMCA organizations in a two-year program. In 1887, it added a

Physical Education Physical education is an academic subject taught in schools worldwide, encompassing Primary education, primary, Secondary education, secondary, and sometimes tertiary education. It is often referred to as Phys. Ed. or PE, and in the United Stat ...

department. In 1890, it separated from the School for Christian Workers and became the YMCA Training School and in 1891, the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School. In 1905, the school became a degree-granting institution.Glenn T. Miller, ''Piety and Profession: American Protestant Theological Education, 1870–1970'', 2007. , p. 289 In 1912, it took the name International YMCA College and in 1954, Springfield College.

Presidents

Springfield College has had 13 leaders:

Academics

Springfield College offers bachelor's degrees in more than 40 majors, 25-plus master's degrees, and doctoral programs in counseling psychology, educational leadership, medical science, physical therapy, physical education and more. The institution is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The institution comprises three schools: * School of Arts and Sciences * School of Physical Education, Performance, and Sport Leadership: This school incorporates the Springfield College East Campus Outdoor Learning Center. * School of Health Sciences: The school is a member of the College of Health Deans. Springfield College also offers bachelor's degree completion programs and master's degrees in business, education, counseling and more, that are geared toward working adult students at its main campus, and online.

Campus

The campus of Springfield College is located in

. The main campus spans and contains ten residence halls, recreational and fitness facilities, science and academic facilities, a performing arts center, and the Flynn Campus Union, which includes a food court, activity and lounge space, and bookstore. In fall 2023, Springfield College opened a new Health Sciences Center, which facilitates, expands on, and celebrates interprofessional education. Inside the four floors of the 86,000-square-foot building, simulation, anatomy, pediatrics lab, and makerspace environments enhance interdisciplinary collaboration as does expanded meeting space. Springfield College's East Campus, which encompasses of forest ecosystem, is located about one mile from the main campus. This location provides rustic facilities for conferences and meetings, and space for outdoor research and recreation. East Campus is also home to the Springfield College Child Development Center, which provides early education services for children of members of the faculty and staff, students, and families in the community.

Athletics

Springfield College's athletic teams have been known since 1995 as the Pride; the teams were nicknamed the Chiefs from 1968 through 1994, and prior to that were known as the Gymnasts or Maroons. The institution is a member of

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

(NCAA) Division III and most teams compete in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Springfield's football team joined the NEWMAC when it began sponsoring football in 2017. The men's soccer, men's golf, cross country and gymnastics teams are affiliate members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The men's volleyball team competes as an independent. Springfield college gymnasium c 1887

Springfield College is known as the "Birthplace of Basketball", a game created by alumnus and faculty member

under the founding head of the Physical Education department Luther Gulick Jr. in 1891. Gulick is in the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

, which is named for Naismith and located in Springfield to honor the location of its invention. Alumnus William G. Morgan invented the game of

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

. Stagg Field serves as the institution's main athletic field; it was named after former coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg who briefly coached Springfield and went on to play a pivotal role in the development of modern football. On October 19, 2017, Springfield College unveiled a one-of-a-kind intercollegiate and adaptive baseball field that resulted from a partnership between Springfield College and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. On that day, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. joined Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the new field. The name of the baseball field was changed from Berry-Allen Field to the Archie Allen Field. The Springfield softball team appeared in one

Women's College World Series The Women's College World Series (WCWS) is the final portion of the NCAA Division I softball tournament for college softball in the United States and is held annually in Oklahoma City, OK. The event is held at Devon Park (stadium), Devon Park loca ...

in 1977. The Springfield College women's gymnastics team won the first intercollegiate national championship in 1969 and three of the first four (1971 and 1972). In 1940, Springfield was one of eight teams to make the 1940 NCAA basketball tournament, losing to eventual champion

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

48–24 in the regional semifinals held at Butler Fieldhouse in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

. In 2006 and 2007, the institution hosted the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Final Four. The men's volleyball team has six non-NCAA national titles in the now-defunct Molten Invitational championship, an event for NCAA Division III schools that ran from 1997 through 2011, and also won the first three NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championships in 2012 through 2014. All nine championships were won under Head Coach Charlie Sullivan. The Pride followed up with two more national championships in 2016 through 2018. Ten of the 11 championships were won under Head Coach Charlie Sullivan. The Springfield College women's basketball team of 2004–2005, made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament. Springfield earned its second-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in February 2024 and made its eighth appearance in the national tournament to cap off the 2023–24 season. At the end of that season, Head Coach Naomi Graves and her staff were chosen as the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Coaching Staff of the Year. Women's basketball has won several conference tournament championships, including the season of 2006. The 2023–24 team competed in the first round of the NCAA Division III championship. Springfield College graduates Rusty Jones G '86 and Jon Torine '95 participated in Super Bowl XLI as the Head Strength and Conditioning coaches of the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

and

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...

, respectively. Steve Spagnuolo ’82 has served as a defensive coordinator six times in the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants, and three of those games resulted in Super Bowl victories. The Springfield College women's field hockey team has won the NEWMAC (New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference) title for five consecutive years (2004–2008), and competed in the NCAA Division III tournament in those five years as well. The men's lacrosse team won six straight titles (2008–2013) in the now-defunct Pilgrim Lacrosse League, which has since been absorbed by the NEWMAC. Springfield's women's swimming and diving team has won the NEWMAC Conference title for ten consecutive years (2001–2010) in the Division III Conference. Springfield's men's soccer team were voted National College Champions by the Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association in 1946, 1947 and 1957. This was before the NCAA championship soccer tournament in 1959.

Academics

''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked Springfield College #26 for Best Regional Universities—North Region for 2021, the sixth consecutive year that it has been in the top 30. ''U.S. News'' also ranked Springfield College #18 among Best Value Schools for Regional Universities—North, the school's fifth consecutive year on the list. Springfield College was the recipient of the 2016 Presidential Award in the education category of the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This honor is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement. In 2015, the institution successfully for an optional community engagement classification in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Springfield College was named a 2016–17 College of Distinction for providing an innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education with a strong record of preparing its graduates for real-world success.

Notable alumni and faculty

* Harold Amos, microbiologist and professor * Rocky Aoki, founder of Benihana * Peter Avdoulos, All-American diver who coached the Springfield College diving team for two decades, leading them to seven national championships * Mark Banker, safeties coach for the Washington State Cougars football team * Stanley F. Battle, American educator, author, civic activist, and former leader of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Coppin State University and Southern Connecticut State University, 1973 * Marilyn Bevans, the first Black American female to earn a medal at the Boston Marathon (1977) * Vaughn Blanchard, 1912 Olympian in Track and Field and Baseball * Rick Blangiardi, 15th mayor of

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

and former television executive * Jeff Blatnick, 1984 Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling, 2015 UFC Hall of Fame inductee * Roscoe Brown, flew 68 missions as part of the Tuskegee Airmen * Raymond Castellani, actor, activist on

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

' Skid Row * John Cena, professional wrestler and actor * J. Howard Crocker, Canadian

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

educator, and sports executive for the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada and the

Canadian Olympic Committee The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; ), also known as Team Canada, is a private nonprofit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee. It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization. History Cana ...

; granted an honorary master's degree in physical education in 1916 for work in China and establishing the Far Eastern Championship Games * Nancy Darsch, women's basketball coach in college, the WNBA, and the Olympics * Tony DiCicco, head coach of USA Women's Soccer National Team 1994–1999, coach of the FIFA Women's Soccer 1999 Championship Team * W. Dean Eastman, educator (graduate assistant track coach 1974–76, MSE 1976, CAGS 1977) * John Forslund, TV play-by-play announcer for the

Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The t ...

of the NHL * Richard F. Garber, Hall of Fame college lacrosse coach * Nancy E. Gary, dean of

Albany Medical College Albany Medical College (AMC) is a Private university, private medical school in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1839 by Alden March and James H. Armsby and is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation. The college is part of the Albany Me ...

and executive vice president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and dean of its F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine. * Dave Gettleman, pro football executive,

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

of the New York Giants * Wayne Granger, former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...

and National League saves leader in 1970 * Sally M. Hage, professor of psychology * Charles Hapgood, professor of history, originator of the pseudoscientific cataclysmic pole shift hypothesis * Don Ho, Hawaiian musician and entertainer (attended for one year) * Dan Hunt, head football coach at

Colgate University Colgate University is a Private university, private college in Hamilton, New York, United States. The Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York ...

, 2014–2021 * Rusty Jones, strength and conditioning coach for the

* Peter V. Karpovich, professor of physiology (1927–1947), director of health education (1947–1955), research professor of physiology (1955–1969); founder of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). * Leslie Mann,

outfielder and founder of the International Baseball Federation * William G. Morgan, inventor of

. *

, Canadian faculty member, invented

while teaching at the college in 1891 * Max Nacewicz, professional football player * Erin Pac, bronze medal winner in bobsled at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics * Boris Pash, commanded the Alsos Mission during World War II * Lee Patton, legendary basketball coach who launched WVU's golden age of basketball. His record of successive home wins there remains unbroken. * Fernando Picó, historian, expert on the history of Puerto Rico * Albert I. Prettyman, head coach of the United States Hockey Team at the

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...

Garmisch-Partenkirchen Garmisch-Partenkirchen (; ) is an Northern Limestone Alps, Alpine mountain resort, ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen (district), district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (abbreviated ...

, Germany * John Quinlan, model and actor, former professional wrestler * Manuel Rivera-Ortiz, documentary photographer; attended classes at Springfield College as part of the Massachusetts Migrant Education summer program, where he was offered his first courses in photography and film development. * Angela Salem, professional soccer player and coach * Ted Shawn, adjunct faculty, 1932–1933; founder of the Denishawn Dance School and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and a key figure in establishing male

modern dance Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert dance, concert or theatrical dance which includes dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th ...

* Craig Shirley, political consultant and author, associated with

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

* Justine Siegal, baseball coach and sports educator * Charles Silvia, International Hall of Fame swimming coach, Springfield College All-American swimmer and 1934 alumni who coached Springfield College swimming from 1937–1978, winning ten New England Interscholastic Team Championships. * Stacy Sims, exercise physiologist, nutrition scientist, author, and women's health and fitness advocate. * Steve Spagnuolo, former head coach of the National Football League's St. Louis Rams * Amos Alonzo Stagg, head football coach, 1890–1891; later head of multiple national champion teams at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

* Sue Thomas, the first deaf person to work as an undercover specialist doing lip-reading of suspects for the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

* Tom Waddell, physician and founder of the Gay Games * Glenn Warner, president of National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 1953, head coach of the Naval Academy's men's soccer team from 1942 to 1975 * Scotty Whitelaw, former Commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference * Mike Woicik, football coach (1978–79) and strength and conditioning coach for several professional football teams * Bill Yorzyk, physician and only USA swimming gold medalist in 1956 Olympics, 200 m butterfly

References

External links

*
Athletics website
{{coord, 42, 6, 15.6, N, 72, 33, 18.2, W, region:US, display=title Universities and colleges founded by the YMCA Universities and colleges in Springfield, Massachusetts Universities and colleges established in 1885 1885 establishments in Massachusetts Private universities and colleges in Massachusetts

History

Archives

Presidents

Academics

Campus

Athletics

Academics

Notable alumni and faculty

References

External links