Page 9 - Fall 2019 Rochester Athletics Newsletter | University of Rochester

Back then, the Palestra had two locker rooms on the Possee is the recipient of numerous awards and
third floor, one for the men’s team and the other for the honors including the Goergen Award for Distinguished
visiting team. Contributions to Undergraduate Learning, a Susan B.
To Possee, it “We’ve made such great strides Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Rochester
made sense since the 1970s and much of it Press-Radio Club’s Jean Giambrone Service Award.
to give the can be attributed to Jane and to When she isn’t at work, Possee is with her family or
women the George VanderZwaag, who has led sailing on Lake Ontario. She and her husband, Dick, have
visiting team’s Athletics for the last 20 years,” says been married for 47 years and have six children and

space. “We Terry Gurnett, associate director eight grandchildren. She is a former member and past
did end up (AD) of athletics. president of the Board of Directors for the Sodus Junior
getting that Sailing Club, which her father started in the 1950s. She is
locker room, and the visiting teams went underneath the also currently a member of the Board of Directors for the
bleachers in an area redesigned for them,” she says.
Genesee Waterways Center.
“We’ve made such great strides since the 1970s and Staying in touch with her former team members is
much of it can be attributed to Jane and to George important to Possee. She still connects with her first
VanderZwaag, who has led Athletics for the last 20 years,” group of athletes at a reunion they hold every other year.
says Terry Gurnett, associate director (AD) of athletics. “I’ve had the best students and athletes from the start,”
“Jane has a steady, rock solid commitment to women’s she adds. “It’s fun to keep up with as many of them as I
sports that has served Rochester and our students so can.” In 2011, a number of her former athletes established
well.” As associate AD since 2001 and women’s soccer the Jane Possee Endowment for Women’s Athletics,
coach from 1977 to 2010, Gurnett has lived through which provides
many transformative moments in Rochester Athletics. “I’ve had the best students and perpetual
Today, there are 23 varsity athletic teams and women’s athletes from the start,” she adds. support for
teams make up 12 of them. They include basketball, “It’s fun to keep up with as many women’s sports
cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, of them as I can.” at Rochester.
softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and With such a
volleyball.
varied, dedicated, and recognized career in coaching and
Possee transitioned from coaching to administration in administration, Possee shares the following lessons for
1992. That’s when she began overseeing the University’s leaders: pay attention to the details, be a good listener,
recreation program, which meant taking responsibility and take life one day at a time.
for intramurals, club sports, and rentals; student
employment; and capital planning.
In 1997, a big project came—renovating what is now
known as the Goergen Athletic Center, which was
made possible because of a leadership gift from Robert
Goergen ’60 and his wife, Pamela, as well as support
from Edmund A. Hajim ’58 and his family. Possee led the
project for Athletics.
Since then, Possee’s been the point person on many
Athletics’ building and renovation initiatives, including
the Speegle-Wilbraham Aquatic Center, the Bloch Fitness
Center, and various facilities within and across the Brian
F. Prince Athletic Complex. She’ll take the lead on future
capital improvements, too, such as renovating the Field
House, the outdoor tennis courts, and the grandstands
and press boxes for baseball and softball.
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