Centralight

8 centralight spring '15 When Marcy Weston arrived at Central Michigan University as a phys ed instructor and field hockey coach in 1972, her plan was to move on in five years. "Forty-two years later, I'm still here," Weston says with characteristic frankness, wit and disarming charm. "Five years? My math was a little off." Now an iconic figure in CMU and women's collegiate athletics nationally, Weston has announced she will retire this month as senior associate athletics director. All of her career was spent here in Mount Pleasant, where she has left an indelible mark on the university, the NCAA and women's athletics. "Marcy Weston is a giant in intercollegiate athletics," says MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher. "Forget Central Michigan and the Mid-American Conference. She is one of the giants of this enterprise." Making a mark nationally Weston's arrival at CMU coincided with the debut of Title IX, the historic legislation that guaranteed: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of gender, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." From the very beginning, Weston became a staunch advocate for women's athletics. As an athlete herself, she saw the benefits athletics provide, and she witnessed the acceptance, growth and maturation of women's programs and student-athletes in her four-plus decades at CMU. At times she was at the forefront; many times in the background doing the heavy lifting. "She's a big reason some of what has evolved in terms of opportunities for female student-athletes is available now. And she was an advocate for all student-athletes, not just women," Steinbrecher says. Weston coached three women's sports at CMU – basketball, volleyball and field hockey. She served as the university's senior associate athletics director and, since 2012, as the executive associate director of Athletics/Sport Administration. In 1979, she granted the first full-ride scholarship to a female athlete in CMU history. "When you talk about the late '70s, that was the turning point for women's athletics," said Terri (Phillion) Dulude, '83, who received that scholarship and played volleyball for Weston for four years. "I never felt with her at the helm that we were any less than the men. "She went to bat for us, and she got us what we deserved," says Dulude, who is still close with Weston. "Sometimes when I leave her after a visit, I think, 'That is one special woman. How did I get so lucky to have played for her?'" In 2004, Weston was inducted into the CMU Athletics Hall of Fame, which is named in her honor. Always a teacher, always a coach Weston is passionate about education and athletics and giving every woman and man a fair shake. She was highly respected and highly sought after during her career, as evidenced by the number of accolades she has received. She is recognized nationally as one of the outstanding leaders in college athletics and has been instrumental in the expansion of opportunities for student-athletes across the board. – CMU Director of Athletics Dave Heeke 8 centralight spring '14 Volleyball, 1982 Marcy Weston stands with the legendary Pat Summitt during Summitt's visit to CMU in the 1990s. Summitt is the all-time winningest coach in college basketball history and an iconic figure in the game.

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