Jack Powers has been named the recipient of the 2013 St. Thomas Aquinas College "Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award." Powers, the former Executive Director of the NIT and former Director of Athletics at Manhattan College, has had a major impact on the growth and success of collegiate basketball and also acted as a mentor and role model to the athletes he has worked with.
The award was presented to Mr. Powers by Dr. Margaret Fitzpatrick, S.C., St. Thomas Aquinas College President, at the STAC Winter Sports Banquet which was held at Rockland Country Club on March 20, 2013. Powers addressed the crowd of made up of the Spartan and Lady Spartan Basketball teams, the dance and chearleading teams, STAC administrators and Spartan family and fans.
Powers was the executive director of the National Invitation Tournament in 1988 until August 2005 when the NIT came under the umbrella of the NCAA. He had previously spent nine years as the athletics director at his alma mater, Manhattan College. In that time, Jasper athletics experienced tremendous growth in both the men and women's programs due to Powers' efforts. During his tenure, Powers was also a member of the Executive Councils of the Eastern College Athletic Conference and the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America; and was president of the Metropolitan Basketball Association, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and the Tri-State Soccer League. Additionally, Powers was Manhattan's representative to the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association, the sponsoring body of the NIT. Powers still holds a position with the NCAA and NIT.
Powers began his career as a high school basketball coach, but returned to his alma mater as the head men's basketball coach in 1968. In 10 seasons, he posted a record of 142-114. In 1973, the Jaspers won the ECAC Holiday Festival and they made four appearances in the NIT. These accomplishments were achieved without a home court as Manhattan played their home games at Madison Square Garden. After leaving Manhattan, Powers paced the sidelines nine more times as the head coach of the NIT All Stars.
Powers earned his bachelor's degree at Manhattan, where he was captain of the basketball team his team senior year. He led the Jaspers to the NCAA tournament twice and the NIT once. He completed his collegiate career with 1,139 points and was a 1958 draft pick of the Syracuse Nationals. He also earned his master's degree from Hunter College. Powers and his wife Anita are the parents of two Manhattan College graduates, John and Kimberly, and the grandparents of three.