Since 1975, Elmira College Athletics has been synonymous with Pat Thompson '75. Thompson can be credited with shaping the College's athletics department, as she served in an administrative leadership role in various capacities.
Thompson's career began when she took over as the College's Director of Camps and Clinics after graduating in 1975. She was soon promoted to Director of Sports Information, then to Assistant Director of Athletics, and finally to Athletic Director in 1984, before being elevated to Vice President of Athletics in 2000. She also coached EC's cheerleading team for 23 seasons, winning a national championship in 2000 and developing the program to the prominence that it still experiences today.
Under her leadership, Thompson guided Elmira athletics through significant growth and a multitude of achievements. During her tenure, the College added 10 new varsity sports, including baseball, field hockey, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's lacrosse, men's volleyball, women's golf, women's ice hockey, and women's soccer.
Thompson was instrumental in securing Elmira's affiliation with the Empire 8 Athletic Conference. In 2012, she served a two-year term as the Empire 8's First Vice President, after fulfilling the role of Second Vice President. She also aligned Elmira with the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) in 2011, and most recently, she was a driving force behind the formation of the United College Hockey Conference (UCHC). Thompson was elected the first Vice President of the UCHC and served as chair of the Athletic Directors' Committee.
In addition to multiple accolades by teams and student-athletes at the conference level, highlighted by academic success in the classroom, Thompson brought the Soaring Eagles to national prominence with a combined five national titles in cheerleading (2000, 2007) and women's ice hockey (2002, 2003, 2013).
During her tenure, Thompson spearheaded several facility upgrades on the Elmira campus and neighboring Murray Athletic Center in Horseheads, New York. In 1996 she was a key member in the renovation of Emerson Hall, which houses athletic staff member offices, as well as the College's weight room, cardio room, four-lane pool, locker rooms, and Speidel Gymnasium, the home of EC basketball and volleyball. Thompson also oversaw the construction and upgrades to home and visiting ice hockey locker rooms at the Murray Athletic Center. Most recently, she backed the efforts to install a digital video scoreboard on Campus Field.
Thompson was a pioneer in the world of college athletics as one of the first women to sit on the top NCAA governing body, the NCAA Council, as women's athletics transitioned to NCAA governance. Additionally, she has served on a variety of NCAA committees, such as Women's Interests, Promotions, Governmental Affairs and Public Relations, and the Division III Steering Committee. She was also active with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), holding leadership roles on the Executive Council, Katherine Ley Award Committee, Robbins Scholar-Athlete Committee, and ECAC West Ice Hockey Committee, and she formerly presided over the Eastern College Hockey Association.
The ECAC recognized Thompson as its Female Administrator of the Year in 1999 as a result of her outstanding service to the conference. Through the introduction of the graduate assistant program at EC, Thompson helped numerous coaches and administrators jump-start their careers in collegiate athletics, while her fundraising initiatives have helped support and expand local community service programs and camps for area youth.
Thompson's efforts have been recognized by the Elmira College community with a multitude of honors. The EC Student Association named her the College's Administrator of the Year in 1992, and three years later, was the recipient of the Douglas Anderson Award for Administrative Excellence. She was bestowed with the Paul Brand Athletics Staff Award on two occasions in 1983 and 1996. Thompson was honored with the title of Dean in 1994 and was later inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.
