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RIVERDALE, NY – Manhattan University mourns the loss of former Head Coach of Track and Field, and the longest tenured track coach in the history of the University, Fred Dwyer, at the age of 94, on Friday morning.
“On Friday, the Manhattan community lost a towering figure: Coach Fred Dwyer,” said Director of Athletics Irma Garcia.
“Throughout our Jasper lives, we rarely meet someone whose guidance so completely and positively changes the direction of a program. His profound impact on our track and field program and the athletes he coached will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace, Coach. You were loved and will be missed. Thank you for your immense contributions to Manhattan Athletics.”
Under Dwyer, the Jaspers built one of the richest track-and-field traditions in the East. During his tenure, Manhattan University earned an NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship in 1973, four IC4A Championships, and I9 Metropolitan Championships.
Dwyer produced many outstanding athletes, including 41 All-Americans and four Olympians. In addition to many of his athletes establishing world and national records, approximately 250 school records were broken during his 24-year tenure from 1969 to 1993.
As a student-athlete at Villanova University, he helped his team win the Penn Relays as a junior for the Wildcats. In 1953, he earned All-America Honors as a senior and became the last runner to win all five mile runs in the Millrose, New York Athletic Club, New York Knights of Columbus, National AAU, IC4A, in the original Madison Square Garden.
In 1969, Dwyer joined the Jaspers family as Head Coach of Track and Field and led the Cross Country team to a 7-0 campaign. One year later, he coaches the NCAA Indoor Distance Medley Champion of John Lovett, Mike Kenny, Al Novell, and Tom Donahue.
Three years later, in 1973, Dwyer coached the Cross Country team to another IC4A Championship, led the Jaspers to the NCAA Indoor National Championship, and received NCAA Coach of the Year honors.
During the run, Dwyer led the Distance Medley Relay Team of John Lovett, Ray Johnson, Joe Savage, and Tony Colon to a world record time of 9:43.8.
In 1974, Dwyer coached the 4 x one-mile relay team to the US Outdoor Record of 16:14.4. Those runners featured Pete Squires, Matt Centrowitz, the aforementioned Joe Savage, and Tony Colon.
Dwyer would go on to coach the Jaspers until 1993, which featured another Coach of the Year award presented by NCAA District II, and was eventually inducted into the Manhattan University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Dwyer is survived by his children, all of whom are Manhattan alums: Fred ’82, Jane ’85, Jim ’86, Joe ’87, and Tara ’92.