Wayne Edwards never took the field or coached in a game for Towson University, but his legacy within the school?s athletic department will be felt for years to come.
When Edwards arrived at then-Towson State University in 1995, the school?s conference affiliation was unsettled, many of the facilities were in dire need of upgrades and there were only about 20 full-time staff members. Towson was also the only Division I school in the country not to have a hardwood basketball court.
Things are much different now, as Edwards prepares to retire at the end of the month. Today, Towson?s football, lacrosse and field hockey teams play in the $34-million, 10,000-seat Johnny Unitas Stadium, the baseball team plays at the renovated John Shuerholz Park and by next year, all teams (with the exception of gymnastics) will compete in the Colonial Athletic Association. There are also now more than 70 full-time staff members.
“We?ve made tremendous strides,” Edwards said. “But I?m most proud about the progress I?ve seen with our student-athletes, thanks to the growth of our academic advising program.”
Trying to move Towson?s athletic program forward was not always an easy endeavor for Edwards. Through the years, Edwards had to let go a number of long-time coaches, including Terry Truax and Carl Runk, who led the men?s basketball and lacrosse programs, respectively, to some of their most successful seasons.
In addition, the football program suffered greatly as it bounced from conference to conference. The team came close to being a contender in the non-scholarship Patriot League, only to have the school shown the door. This led to Towson joining the highly-competitive Atlantic-10 Conference, which includes former I-AA national champions James Madison and Delaware. The 12-team league will all join the CAA in 2007.
“Wedidn?t want to leave the Patriot League, but we didn?t have a choice,” Edwards said. “We had to scramble, and thanks to our connections in the CAA, we felt the best fit was the A-10. Once we have a full complement of scholarship athletes in place, I feel we will be able to compete in the league on a regular basis.”
Edwards said those difficult moves pale in comparison to the grief he went through when he eliminated the men?s tennis, indoor track and cross country teams while downgrading the gymnastics program in 2004.
“Those were some of the hardest decisions I?ve ever had to make,” Edwards said. “We felt like that was the best way for us to have a chance to be competitive in all sports. Also, it was unfair to keep those teams if we couldn?t adequately fund them.”
Through all of the changes, Edwards feels he is handing incoming Athletic Director Mike Hermann a better department than the one he inherited.
This includes a future upgrade of the 30-year-old Towson Center that school officials are expected to begin planning in the upcoming months.
“Every sport we will field next year will have a chance to succeed,” Edwards said. “I?m just upset that I won?t be around when it happens. Seeing the student-athletes do well both on and off the court was my favorite part of the job.”
