Garden City, N.Y. - Former Adelphi University Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Robert E. Hartwell passed away on Friday, April 11. Mr. Hartwell served as AD at Adelphi from 1986-2013.

"Mr. Hartwell is a legend at Adelphi. During his tenure he grew the athletics program and established it as one of the premier Division II departments in the country," stated Director of Athletics Danny McCabe. "He will be missed greatly by the Adelphi community. One of Bob's lasting legacies will be that he always put the needs of the student-athletes first."

In 1986, Mr. Hartwell was named the athletic director at Adelphi University and was eventually promoted to Assistant Vice President in 2009. Under his direction, the department and its programs were transformed, enjoying tremendous success on the conference, regional and national levels. Under his guidance, the Adelphi Panthers have garnered 10 NCAA Championships, 10 NCAA Regional Championships, over 100 NCAA appearances and countless conference titles.

In an effort to allow student-athletes to play at the highest level possible, Mr. Hartwell guided the seamless transition from the East Coast Conference (formerly NYCAC) to the Northeast-10, one of the nation's premier Division II conferences, culminating in 2013 with Adelphi winning the prestigious Northeast-10 President's Cup, as the top intercollegiate athletic program in the conference.

"The entire Adelphi community is saddened and shocked by this news," said President Robert A. Scott. "Bob was a tireless champion for Adelphi Athletics, its student-athletes, coaches and staff. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."

Prior to his tenure at Adelphi, Mr. Hartwell was a three-sport coach at Babson, guiding the men's soccer team to a 1975 National Championship. In 1978, Babson promoted him to Athletic Director, where he remained for eight years. Aside from being part of the inaugural inductee class into the Babson Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991, the Babson soccer field was dedicated as Hartwell Field in 2002, in recognition for his success as coach and Athletic Director.

Mr. Hartwell devoted his entire career to intercollegiate athletics.  He was a leader among his NCAA peers and filled numerous leadership positions and responsibilities both regionally and nationally.

As details on the memorial service and celebrations of his life and contributions to Adelphi University become available, they will be shared with the Adelphi community on www.aupanthers.com.