Francis X. McLaughlin, a 1969 Fordham College at Rose Hill graduate where he received a degree in History, is a name that is synonymous with Fordham University Athletics. First as a student-athlete in the 1960's, then as an assistant basketball coach in the 1970's and more recently as the Executive Director of Athletics, a position he held for almost 30 years.
 
After serving as the Director of Athletics for 13 years, McLaughlin was promoted to Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation in the spring of 1998 before being promoted to associate vice president of student affairs for athletic alumni relations and external affairs/athletic director emeritus in May of 2012. For over 20 years, McLaughlin supervised the improvement of all of Fordham's athletic facilities, the elevation of the football program to the NCAA FCS level in 1989, and the move of the athletic program to the Atlantic 10 in 1995. Also under his tenure, athletic fundraising increased every year to record amounts.
 
During his tenure, Fordham student-athletes maintained tremendous graduation rates, annually ranking among the tops in the nation and among the Atlantic 10 schools. Fordham annually ranks among the leaders in the number of student-athletes named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll and has routinely been among the national leaders in NCAA Academic Progress Rates, ranking 18th in the country in 2011. Fordham also underwent NCAA recertification three times during his tenure, passing each time with flying colors.
 
A standout basketball student-athlete at Fordham in the late 1960's, McLaughlin captained the Rams during his senior season and was drafted by the New York Knicks following graduation. During his junior and season seasons, the Rams went undefeated at home, winning 23 straight games in the Rose Hill Gym with victories over Syracuse, Boston College, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Massachusetts, Georgetown and Pittsburgh. Both squads advanced to the NIT with the 1967-68 team winning a first round game over Duquesne.
 
McLaughlin went on to become an assistant coach at the College of the Holy Cross and after a season there returned to Fordham as an assistant under Richard "Digger" Phelps in 1970-1971, helping the Rams to a 26-3 record (.897) and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Fordham finished the season with a ranking of ninth in the nation.
 
In 1977, McLaughlin was named the head coach at Harvard University, where he remained for eight years. He left as one of the all-time winningest coaches in Crimson basketball history.