Dan Vélez Appointed to NCAA II Men’s Lacrosse Committee

Dan Vélez, director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation, has been appointed as a member of the NCAA Division II Men’s Lacrosse Committee.

He will serve through August 31, 2021, and succeeds former LIU Post head coach John Jez in the role.

“I am honored and humbled to serve on this committee and to be able to represent NYIT and the East Coast Conference (ECC),” Vélez said. “I am extremely appreciative of the confidence the NCAA has shown in granting me the opportunity to take part in shaping the future for one of its most popular and exciting sports offerings.”

Vélez currently serves as the Men’s Lacrosse Sport Chair for the ECC. “We are very pleased to learn of Dan Vélez’s appointment to the NCAA Division II Men’s Lacrosse Committee,” said Bob Dranoff, ECC commissioner. “We are confident he will make a great contribution and provide strong leadership in this new role.”

NYIT Athletics has thrived with Vélez as part of the leadership team. During the 2016–2017 academic year, the department launched women’s lacrosse and an eSports team. The volleyball, women’s basketball, softball, and women’s lacrosse teams along with the men’s and women’s tennis teams reached NCAA tournaments. The men’s lacrosse team won the ECC regular-season and postseason titles.

NYIT student-athletes have also excelled academically. They achieved an average GPA of 3.24 during the fall semester, outperforming the general student body, and 122 student-athletes achieved a GPA of at least 3.20, which earned them spots on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.

With his appointment to the lacrosse post, Vélez will leave his position on the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Regional Advisory Committee, where he served for two years.

“Dan Vélez serving on the men’s lacrosse committee shows the support, commitment, and representation that NYIT has not only in lacrosse, but also in all sports across the board,” said Bill Dunn, coach of the NYIT men’s lacrosse team.