Brett Marhanka, Wheaton College Sports Information
WHEATON, Ill. -- Dr. Tony Ladd, Director of Athletics at Wheaton since 1983, announced his retirement on Friday. Ladd was named Wheaton’s Athletic Director in 1983, also serving as the chair of the College’s Kinesiology Department at that time. He led both the Athletic Department and Kinesiology Department until 2001 and has directed the Athletic Department only since 2001.
Since Ladd’s appointment at Wheaton in 1983, the school’s athletic programs have won five NCAA Division III National Championships and 15 individual National Championships. During his time overseeing the athletic department, 16 Wheaton programs have participated in multiple NCAA Championship events: football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, volleyball, women’s golf, and wrestling.
Wheaton College president Dr. Philip Ryken said of Ladd on Friday, “Tony Ladd has provided exceptional leadership for an entire generation of student-athletes at Wheaton College.” Ryken continued, “In terms of performance, Dr. Ladd’s record speaks for itself: these recent decades have been among the most successful in the history of Wheaton athletics.” He concluded, “But his true legacy lies in the spiritual difference his leadership has made in the lives of the young men and women who have competed for Wheaton College. Tony’s faithful commitment to Jesus Christ has set the tone for the Christian discipleship that takes place on our practice fields and in our locker rooms and arenas.”
Wheaton athletic programs have won 127 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships during Ladd’s tenure – with 67 conference titles in women’s sports and 60 CCIW crowns in men’s sports.
Ladd commented about his tenure at Wheaton, “Serving Wheaton has been a privilege. For me, there could not have been a better call than to serve the Lord in this work.” He continued, “I am pleased and thankful for what God has done in the years that I have been here. It has been a challenge at times to work with coaches, student-athletes and administrators to unwrap the vision for sport ministry in a Christ-centered way. Seeing God at work through that process has been fulfilling.”
Paul Chelsen, Vice President for Student Development commented of Dr. Ladd, “Tony has been a strong and consistent advocate for Christ-centered athletics throughout his long tenure as the Athletic Director at Wheaton. His leadership is marked by his love for Christ, his personal care for others, and his vision of growth through students’ athletic participation within a rigorous academic institution.”
Dr. Ladd will stay on as Athletic Director until a replacement is named. Chelsen noted that a national search will begin immediately to replace Ladd.