BRONX, N.Y. (Dec. 15, 2023) – Following nearly six decades of service to his alma mater as a student-athlete, coach and administrator, Frank McLaughlin, FCRH '69, has announced that he will officially retire from Fordham University effective Dec. 31.
 
"I have always had a great love for Fordham University, especially the student-athletes," said McLaughlin. "My time on Rose Hill was a complete joy and hopefully, in some small way, I was able to make Fordham a better place and help the student-athletes have a great experience."
 
McLaughlin served as the University's athletic director from 1985 from 2012 before being promoted to the role of associate vice president of student affairs for athletic alumni relations and external affairs/athletic director emeritus.  Since 2022, McLaughlin has been a special advisor to the director of intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports.
 
"Frank McLaughlin has been an indispensable part of Fordham University for decades," said Athletic Director Ed Kull. "Whether it was as a student-athlete, coach, athletic director, or University administrator, Frank has always sought to elevate his beloved Fordham to new heights. He played a significant role in bringing me to Fordham and I am honored to carry on his storied legacy in the athletic director position. I personally owe him a debt of gratitude for his years of guidance and wisdom and for believing in me and this new era of Fordham Athletics. I am grateful he will continue to be an instrumental ambassador for Fordham and know his support will help propel us even more into the bright future that lies ahead for Fordham Athletics and our student-athletes."
 
"On behalf of Fordham and generations of its student athletes, I want to thank Frank from the bottom of my heart for his long and faithful service to our students, to Fordham Athletics, and to the University," said Tania Tetlow, president of Fordham. "In ways big and small, Frank set the stage for our student athletes to succeed on and off the field."
 
A 1965 Fordham Prep and 1969 Fordham graduate, McLaughlin captained the Rams as a senior before being selected by the New York Knicks in the 10^th round of the NBA Draft.  Fordham turned in winning records during all three of McLaughlin's varsity seasons, including 23 consecutive victories at the Rose Hill Gym.
 
Following one season as an assistant coach at Holy Cross, McLaughlin returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach under Richard "Digger" Phelps in 1970-71, guiding Fordham to its finest season in program history with a record of 26-3, an NCAA Tournament appearance and a national ranking as high as no. 9 in the Associated Press poll. 
 
McLaughlin followed Phelps to Notre Dame before assuming the head coaching role at Harvard in 1977.  He spent eight seasons in Cambridge, where he currently ranks fifth all-time in wins, before returning to the Bronx in 1985 to become Fordham's athletic director. 
 
During his time at the helm of the department, McLaughlin saw Fordham Athletics grow exponentially, guiding the Rams through their transition to the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1995.  In addition to hiring some of the most successful head coaches in Fordham history, McLaughlin also oversaw the hiring of numerous full-time assistant coaches and administrators.
 
In November of 2022 during a men's basketball win over Harvard, Fordham officially dedicated the floor in the Rose Hill Gym as the Frank McLaughlin Family Court, honoring McLaughlin's lasting legacy at his alma mater.
 
McLaughlin has served as the president of the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association (MIBA), which was responsible for the preseason and postseason National Invitation Tournaments. He was also very active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Bronx Special Olympics and was also a member of the Fordham University Kiwanis Club. On the
national level, McLaughlin served on the Kickoff Classic committee.
 
A Bronx native, McLaughlin has been inducted into numerous Hall of Fames, including the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame, the Fordham Prep Hall of Honor, the ECAC Hall of Fame, the Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame and the Catholic High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
 
McLaughlin and his wife, Susan, have three daughters: Tara Marie (a 1999 Fordham graduate), Mary Heather, (a 2002 Fordham graduate) and Colleen Patrice (a 2005 Fordham graduate). The McLaughlins reside in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.