Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Frank Condino, who devoted 30 years of his life to IUP athletics, is being honored in the coach/administrator category. He served admirably in both roles during his time on campus.

Condino arrived at IUP in 1984 as an assistant football coach. He stayed in that position for six seasons, a time when the program rose to national prominence under head coach Frank Cignetti. IUP posted 53 victories in that period, won two PSAC championships and made its first three NCAA Division II playoff appearances, highlighted by a run to the national semifinals in 1989.

Condino served as assistant and then associate athletic director from 1990 to 1998, was interim athletic director for a year and then spent more than 15 years—from July of 1999 to January of 2015—as AD. He oversaw the university’s 19 varsity sports teams, its athletic facilities, game management, intramurals, special events, summer camps, fundraising, the sports medicine program and NCAA compliance. During his tenure, IUP constructed the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex and made improvements to several existing campus facilities. He also served as chair of the NCAA Division II Football Committee.

Crimson Hawks teams and athletes excelled on Condino’s watch. IUP teams won 30 conference championships, individuals captured 10 national titles and IUP regularly finished near the top of the Dixon Trophy standings, emblematic of PSAC supremacy. The university’s athletes also distinguished themselves in the classroom. Under Condino, the IUP athletic program produced 10 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, 38 PSAC Top 10 Award winners and 11 PSAC Champion Scholars.

Condino earned a degree in health and physical education from Lock Haven in 1972 before serving in the United States Marine Corps for three years. He earned a master’s in health and physical education from East Stroudsburg in 1976 and a doctorate in sports administration from West Virginia in 1987.

He and his wife, Martha, have two adult children, Shane and Jason, and two grandchildren. They reside in Indiana.
 

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Personal Reflection: 

As I reflect on my 30 years at IUP as an assistant football coach and athletic administrator, I realize how fortunate I was. My good fortune was a result of the many student-athletes, coaches, staff and alumni that helped shape my career. I would like to emphasize that the student-athletes at IUP are truly student-athletes. They not only work hard on the field, track, court and pool but in the classroom and community as well.

As an assistant football coach, I was privileged to work with some of the finest young men on our campus who happened to be good football players. So for all of the players I had the honor of coaching, I would like to say thank you. Your attitudes, efforts and commitments were second to none.

In addition to my coaching responsibilities, I had supervision of the student managers, who were quite possibly the most responsible individuals in the entire program. One such manager was Johnny Angelo. He had to be one of the most loving and beautiful human beings God ever placed on this earth. Johnny brought a richness and joy to everything we did on that field and for that I will be forever grateful! He not only enriched my life but the lives of all players he came in contact with. You see, for those of you who did not know Johnny, he was born with Down syndrome. To all of the rest of the managers, you were invaluable and a great asset to our team’s success.

Once I entered athletic administration, my focus evolved from one sport to many. As a result of that, my positive experiences multiplied tenfold. One of the unexpected highlights of administration was my interactions with our alumni base, another great group of former IUP student-athletes. One particular group that made their mark and lasting impressions were the football teams coached by Chuck Mills. They exemplified what it meant to be an IUP student- athlete and the resulting successes they experienced throughout their lives.

A second highlight of my administrative time involved working with Scott and Liz Weigner. They were our campus ministers and organized trips taking student-athletes to the Dominican Republic. While there they administered to the Haitians who worked in the sugar cane fields. This third world experience helped the student-athletes to understand the merits of their birthright and to exemplify what is meant to serve “those less fortunate” than themselves. The lessons learned in the Dominican Republic were carried with them for the rest of their lives. Scott and Liz, thank you for your commitment to our student-athletes.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Hall of Fame committee for this honor; Frank Cignetti and Herm Sledzik for their mentoring and guidance; Lisa Bash-Ward who always goes the extra mile to make this event so successful; and all of the staff and associates who helped make the student-athlete experience a memorable one.

Lastly, I would like to thank my wife, Marty, for her patience and understanding that was necessary for me to devote my time and energy to the student-athletes at IUP.