The NCAA News - News and Features

July 20, 1998

Spry to retire from NCAA in April 1999

Louis J. Spry, the senior member of the national office staff, has announced that he will retire in April 1999.

Spry, who serves as associate executive director, will complete his 32nd year with the national office August 1.

"My wife and I decided that it was time," Spry said. "We didn't want to make the move to Indianapolis, so I decided to retire on my 63rd birthday -- April 16."

Spry joined the staff in 1966 as the staff's only publications editor. He became director of research and director of publishing before being named assistant to the executive director in April 1971.

In May 1972, he was appointed assistant executive director for championships, and in May 1974, he was named controller. He held that position until 1988, when he was selected as an associate executive director with responsibility for directing the Association's financial affairs.

He continues to serve as cash manager for the Association, a responsibility he has held since 1974. He also currently serves as staff liaison to the Exempted Contests Subcommittee of the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet.

He has served as the manager of the NCAA Convention since a special Convention in St. Louis in 1981 -- a total of 20 annual and special Conventions. He will manage the Association's 1999 Convention in San Antonio.

Spry also has a longstanding relationship with college baseball and has served as official scorer for the College World Series every year since 1981. He plans to continue in that role indefinitely.

Spry is a Nebraska native who was raised in Tacoma, Washington. He attended Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Puget Sound. He worked for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics as a statistician before becoming sports information director at West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M). From there, he joined the NCAA staff.