2013 Upstate New York Chapter honoree Andy Noel will retire from Cornell University as the University’s Athletic Director after over 40 years at Cornell. In 1974 Andy was named the head coach for the Big Red and served in that position until 1988. Andy wrestled at F& M during his career and was a runner-up to Lloyd Keaser of Navy in the EIWA Championships and received the Charles Mayer Award in his senior year as the outstanding wrestler for the university. Noel’s teams at Cornell earned 4 Ivy League Championships during his tenure at Cornell and he coached 10 NCAA qualifiers and three EIWA champions. He has also served on the NCAA Rules Committee and has worked diligently to promote and sustain wrestling in the country. 

His bio on the Cornell website states, “Since taking over as Cornell University’s director of athletics and physical education in 1999, Andy Noel has led the Big Red athletics program to unprecedented success while setting a course for his vision of continued prosperity. The Big Red teams have parlayed Noel’s accomplishments into success on and off the playing field. Cornell’s athletic teams have won 105 Ivy League team titles and 35 national championships (17 team, 18 individual) during his tenure. The program captured 31 Ivy titles during a four-year span from 2002-03 through 2005-06, setting a Cornell record dating back to the inception of the Ivy League, including a record nine in 2005-06. Cornell has won at least six Ivy titles in 12 different seasons dating back to 2002-03 after hitting that mark just three times in the first 46 years of Ancient Eight competition.” Andy accomplishments on the mat and as an Athletic Director are truly impressive. The Chapter would like to express our sincere thanks to Andy for everything that he has done for wrestling at Cornell and on the national level. Best wishes in your retirement.