Former Knights athletic director Marilyn Moore has a new role with the same mission — making the Geneseo student-athlete experience the best it can be.
By Brett Ford
From vacant classrooms to a theater-style video room and from mud-trodden grass fields to a stunning, dual-field turf stadium complex, the Geneseo Knights have come a long way. The success has translated to the field of play as well: Geneseo has won each of the past five State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Commissioner’s Cups, awarded each year to the SUNYAC institution with the most success across all athletic programs.
Behind each of those large-scale renovations, as well as several smaller-scale improvements within the Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Department, stands the Roundtable Athletic Association (RAA). The RAA—comprised of donors, supporters, parents, alumni and friends — is integral to the development of Geneseo Athletics.
As director of intercollegiate athletics from 1999 to 2011, Marilyn Moore led many of these improvements and began a trend of increasingly successful athletic seasons across the board. She has watched the Geneseo student-athlete experience evolve since 1977, when she began as an athletic training intern. Now, Moore is leading the Knights again as RAA president.
Q: What role does the RAA play in regard to Geneseo Athletics and how does it impact the student-athlete experience?
A: “The RAA plays a supplementary role in the success of intercollegiate athletics. Its primary function is to enhance our athletic program by raising private funding to augment the athletic budget. The RAA’s responsibility is to provide equitable funding for all our student-athletes and help give them the best experience possible. We do our best to foster success by engaging alumni, parents, the local community, corporate sponsors and friends of Geneseo Athletics. We have very proud alumni who want to see current and future student-athletes share the same successes that they experienced during their time at Geneseo.”
Q: What’s the biggest impact that RAA members have had in the development of athletics at Geneseo?
A: “The most visible improvements are obviously the facilities. The RAA had a significant influence in the beginning stages of the construction of the College Stadium complex. We’ve helped fund renovations and improvements to the varsity weight room, locker rooms and the varsity film room, as well as the brand new dugouts and concourse at Vic Raschi Field. These substantial additions or improvements have all benefited our athletic program. The RAA has also made an impact in less visible ways, such as offsetting funding costs with transportation to and from athletic events during the pandemic and providing hospitality for visiting alumni and supporters at home athletic events. We’re always looking to find ways to improve the quality of the Geneseo student-athlete experience.”
Q: What are the biggest challenges that the RAA faces?
A: “Our challenges are the same as just about every institution in higher education right now. With the pandemic, there’s been a decrease in enrollment, which has left a funding deficit. Our immediate challenge is to temporarily help cover the deficit from the decrease of our athletic fees. We want to make sure that we can help to sustain all 21 varsity athletic programs and support each of our more than 450 student-athletes.”
Q: What does the RAA have planned for the future?
A: “We’re always listening to our athletics administrators, staff and coaches to figure out what their needs are and looking to help fulfill them. Once a new campus master plan has been developed, we’ll do our best to supplement that and continue to support our athletic program and student-athletes.”
Q: Where and who does the RAA funding come from?
A: “RAA funding comes from private donations generously given by alumni, parents, the local community, corporate sponsors and friends of Geneseo Athletics. The RAA has developed over the years from an athletic booster club to a 501C3 Foundation. A few people were instrumental in fostering this move, such as Myrtle Merritt, Robert Bonfiglio and John Linfoot, whose vision and tireless effort advanced this organization. In 2008, Geneseo men’s ice hockey alumnus Dan Loughran ’86 took over as RAA president, launching it to a new level. His leadership and love of Geneseo these past 13 years have positioned us to make substantial contributions to our intercollegiate athletic program. I am honored to take the reins from Dan and hope to carry on the legacy he created.”
Visit the Roundtable Athletic Association giving page to join the RAA.
