Division III infractions committee member Mary Jo Gunning went to an elementary school that didn’t offer athletics teams or physical education classes. When she moved on to an all-girls seminary school in ninth grade, she didn’t have an opportunity to become involved in athletics activities because the school burned down shortly after she enrolled.

Instead of attending an all-girls high school, Gunning moved to the other end of the spectrum, joining 10 other female students in the first class of women admitted to an area boys high school.

With only 11 girls in her class, Gunning once again found herself without an institution to represent on the playing field.

An active swimmer and athlete outside of the traditional school setting, Gunning went to Marywood University and participated in synchronized swimming on a non-varsity level. While a student at Marywood, the all-girls college offered just four varsity sports.

Thirty years later, Gunning has not only helped transform Marywood into a university for men and women, but has been largely responsible for the growth of the institution’s athletics programs in her position as director of athletics and recreation, a post she has occupied for 17 years.

"I think that being so involved in sports and activities outside of school, and knowing I’d like to make them more available, has been part of the impetus for me," Gunning said. "We also offer a multitude of recreational opportunities for students. I believe in recreation and the whole concept of wellness. We’ve gone from few intramural programs to more than 40."

Gunning has devoted her entire career to providing opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the college level. When she returned to Marywood as director of athletics, the school barely had 60 student-athletes. Now, the program has more than 200 student-athletes and will add men’s and women’s varsity lacrosse programs in 2008.

"When I first came to Marywood, it was more of a suitcase college — most students went home on the weekends. Now we have four distinct colleges, have gone from five to 14 varsity sports and have established a true university setting," Gunning said.

Gunning has served on a number of NCAA committees during her tenure at Marywood, including the Division III Management Council and the Division III Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee. Most recently, she’s made her mark as the interim chair of the Division III Committee on Infractions.

"I’ve had the distinct pleasure of serving on quite a few NCAA committees and would encourage other (Division III administrators) to look at it as an opportunity," Gunning said. "You learn a lot more about the NCAA and it reaffirms the fact that we, as member institutions, are the NCAA. People need to realize that and take ownership."

Gunning, who recently oversaw the construction and dedication of a $15 million athletics center on the Marywood campus, said that serving on the infractions committee is certainly a time commitment, but one she feels like she has a responsibility to make.

"When you’re involved in a case, it’s your charge to be responsible and do a lot of work. When you’re dealing with these major issues, you have to make sure you’ve really done your homework," Gunning said. "To be a productive and efficient athletics director, you have to manage your time well, and many of us have learned that through sports participation."

Gunning has participated in a half-dozen in-person meetings and a number of conference calls in her two years on the infractions committee. While nobody smiles at the thought of levying penalties against schools, administrators or student-athletes, Gunning knows it’s a necessary part of the governance process.

"What’s important about compliance is trying to give an equitable experience to all student-athletes. From a Division III perspective, being in line with compliance assures quality in recruiting and on the playing field," she said.

While Gunning emphasizes the importance of compliance, she believes that her colleagues, including those who have cases in front of the committee, also understand the core function.

"I would hope the perception would be that we are people who are committed and believe in the philosophy and mission of Division III and are doing our best to make good decisions and always keep the student-athlete at the forefront," Gunning said. "In my case, reactions (to our decisions) have always been respectful and pretty consistently, people are thankful for the job the committee has done and they’re somewhat relieved they’re not making the decisions."

Gunning says her strong commitment to the infractions committee, as well as her desire to continue the expansion of the Marywood athletics program, relates back to her passion for Division III.

"At its core, the Division III is about providing opportunity for all," Gunning said. "I firmly believe that our department embellishes it and I hope we all live for it. Our student-athletes graduate and are able to cope with life and be more successful because of their sports experience."