Former Rutgers athletics director Bob Mulcahy dead at 85
Bob Mulcahy has been credited with helping build the Rutgers athletics program to a point where it would eventually be invited to the Big Ten.
PRESS RELEASE VIA RU.....
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Feb. 8, 2022) – Rutgers Athletics mourns the loss of former athletic director Bob Mulcahy who passed away Monday at the age of 85. The 10th athletic director in Rutgers history, Mulcahy became the third to be inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 following an 11-year career leading the Scarlet Knights.
Mulcahy, who served as Director of Athletics from 1998 to 2009, was a visionary in New Jersey athletics and was instrumental in building Rutgers University football toward national prominence. Coming off a winless season the year before his arrival, Mulcahy worked steadfastly to improve conditions for the football program. His hire of head coach Greg Schiano led to resurgence in the program which snapped a nearly 30-year postseason drought to advance for the Insight Bowl in 2005.
“The entire Rutgers community is saddened to hear the news of Bob Mulcahy’s passing,” said Rutgers Athletic Director Pat Hobbs. “Bob was an extraordinary man who led an extraordinary life. He was one of those rare individuals who balanced being a great husband, father and grandfather, with being a man of public service and a friend to many. I know how much Rutgers meant to Bob and his family and how much his legacy means to the history of our athletic department. His work and leadership were integral to Rutgers Athletics being in a position to join the Big Ten. We build on the foundation he laid for us. I extend my deepest condolences to Bob’s family and friends. He left an indelible mark on countless coaches and student-athletes and many more. Bob will truly be missed by all.”
“In Bob’s passing, Rutgers and New Jersey lost one of its truly faithful servants,” said head football coach Greg Schiano. “Personally, I lost a mentor, a role model, and a true friend. The partnership we had at Rutgers was uncommon and something we both valued greatly. However, what Bob valued most dearly was his family. You are his legacy.”
Mulcahy also obtained funding from the state legislature for a massive renovation of the university's athletic facilities, including a renovation of the current SHI Stadium that enclosed the lower bowl and added a premium seating area in the Provident Bank Stadium Club. He worked to raise the athletics department's endowment and secured increased television coverage for its football and basketball programs.
Mulcahy positively affected student-athlete welfare, putting an emphasis on academics and community service. He initiated significant upgrades in athlete tutoring and supervision programs, boosting Rutgers to one of the top academic departments in the nation. Prior to joining Rutgers, Mulcahy served as president and CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) for 19 years.
Mulcahy was preceded in death by his beloved wife Terry of 62 years. The college sweethearts survived by seven children, Cathleen, Bob, Matthew, Kevin, Muffy, Megan, and Deidre and fifteen grandchildren, Nicholas, Matthew, Alaine, Connor, Tyler, Abigail, Emily, Owen, Katie, Bobby, Drew, Mia, Brady, Annabelle and Emma Grace.
Statement on behalf of the Mulcahy Family:
Today our family lost our patriarch, mentor, and friend. It is with profound sadness we announce the passing of Robert E. Mulcahy III. He was devoted to public service, both professionally and personally, and his legacy will live on through the countless people whose lives he touched with his counsel, mentoring, and friendship. While he achieved many incredible milestones and accomplishments during his tenure as the Director of Athletics of Rutgers University, or as the CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, or as Chief of Staff to Governor Brendan Byrne his greatest accomplishment was as a husband, father, and grandfather.
We have been blessed to have him as our family leader and we will take forward the many great examples he set for us. While he was an incredible Dad/Grandfather he was an even better friend to all of us. He was a man of incredible integrity and faith who believed that you should always do the right thing in life. He lived that each and every day. While our hearts are heavy, we are comforted knowing Dad is reunited with the love of his life, his wife of 61 years, our mother Terry and grandmother Mimi. We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and kindness. Now, as a family we will carry on Dad’s legacy and do, as he would tell us… “Be peaceful and keep smiling.”
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