Donald Tencher (1998)

Tencher packed a century’s worth of dedication, vision, zeal, innovation, initiative and success into nearly 2 decades of employment at CCRI.  From 1978 until 1995, his work ethic was an infectious part of CCRI’s legendary athletic status.  From the developments of programs such as the college’s acclaimed National Youth Sports program, programs for student development, marketing, general recreation, and many others were fortified to succeed because of his influence and persistence.  Tencher is a member of many NCAA and NJCAA committees and his administrative knack forged the Colonial States Athletic Conference into an association, as well as becoming its first Commissioner.  In 1995, Tencher took over as the Director of Athletics at Rhode Island College.  He has served as the Chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee, served on the NCAA’s Initiative Grants Committee, and was appointed to one of the NCAA’s most influential sports committees, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel, where he was the liaison to men's and women's basketball and the committee chair, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) where he is currently a member of its Board of Directors and its national secretary.  In 2017, 2014, 2010, 2006 and 2001, he was selected by NACDA as the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year. He has received the General Robert R. Neyland Lifetime Achievement Award from the All-American Football Foundation and was the recipient of the Frank Keaney Award from the International Institute for Sport. As well as receiving the James J. Corbett Memorial Award; The Corbett Award represents the highest honor anyone can achieve in collegiate athletics.  In addition to his duties as Athletic Director, Tencher was promoted to Assistant Vice President for Administration in October of 2012, a position he held until 2017.  He was also inducted into Rhode Island College’s Athletic Hall of Fame.