The National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA) Thursday named Charlie Titus, the newly retired vice chancellor of athletics and recreation, special programs and projects, the recipient of the 2020 Richard A. Rasmussen Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award, which was named after NADIIIAA鈥檚 executive director, is presented to someone who has had a significant impact on Division III during the course of his/her career. The founding father of the Athletics Department at UMass Boston, Titus retired from the university June 30 after a career that spanned four decades.
Titus began his long and successful tenure at UMass Boston in the mid 70s when he became the head coach of the club men鈥檚 basketball team. That group, led by Titus, would lay the foundation for the creation of the Athletics Department on the harbor campus. Titus, who was named the first director of athletics, led the Beacons to immediate success as the men鈥檚 ice hockey team won the first conference championship in school history in just their second year as an NCAA-sponsored program.
Just a few short years later, the women鈥檚 track and field team emerged on the national scene as the top program in the country. They would win a combined four NCAA Division III national titles from 1984-86, which included winning both the indoor and outdoor titles in 1986.
Throughout Titus's tenure, the Beacons have hoisted a combined six national championships, six NCAA regional titles, and more than 30 conference championships. Student-athletes have earned All-America status more than 50 times. Most recently, three Beacons have earned National Player/Athlete of the Year honors.
Along with establishing the Athletics Department at UMass Boston, Titus also led the charge in the creation of the Little East Conference (LEC). In 1984, Titus called the first meeting of a select group of New England universities that led to the founding of the LEC. In 2012, he was in the inaugural class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Titus has served on multiple conference, regional, and national committees during his unprecedented career.
When not working in college athletics, Titus was a visionary and leader in the community of Boston. He has been associated with some of the most influential leaders in the city鈥檚 history and has been a mentor to countless youth.
Most recently, Titus made a lasting impact at UMass Boston on the academic side. Along with the help of New Balance, Titus procured the largest donation in UMass Boston history, $5 million, the create the new Sports Leadership and Administration program.
Titus will be honored in the coming months by NADIIIAA for his countless contributions to Division III athletics.