TowerFall2021

FALL 2021 | TOWER 7 athletics Hellert at the Helm of Golden Bear Athletics KUAdds Acrobatics & Tumbling President Kenneth S. Hawkinson announced on Oct. 27, 2020, the addition of women’s acrobatics and tumbling as the university’s 22nd varsity intercollegiate sport. The Golden Bears begin competition in spring 2022. The addition of acrobatics and tumbling, identified by the NCAA as an emerging sport, enhances KU’s commitment to Title IX in its athletics program by adding an average of 30 women student-athletes to its current total. Kutztown will be the 32nd member to compete at the NCAA Division II level, and the third member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to add the sport, joining East Stroudsburg University and Gannon University. Following an extensive national search, Kutztown University named Renee Hellert as its new director of athletics on Feb. 26. The first female in school history to permanently hold the position overseeing both men’s and women’s sports, Hellert brought nearly two decades of experience in collegiate athletic administration to the Golden Bears when she transitioned into her new role on March 29. Hellert spent the last four years as the associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator at NCAA Division III Moravian College in Bethlehem. From 2002– 15, she served in various administrative roles at her alma mater, New England College. “Renee has displayed a deep passion for the success of student-athletes, both in and out of the classroom,” President Kenneth S. Hawkinson said upon Hellert’s hiring. “Her tireless work ethic and desire to succeed will benefit the athletic department and the entire campus community.” A native of Westerly, R.I., Hellert played four seasons of basketball at New England College, graduating with a B.A. in business administration and sport and recreation management (2001) and M.S. in business– organizational management (2002). Lawes Joins 1,000-Wins Club During a Successful Softball Season A Kutztown University mainstay for more than 30 years, head softball coach Judy Lawes has pretty much seen and done it all during a career in which she built the Golden Bears into perennial Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II Atlantic Region contenders. The afternoon of Sunday, March 21, allowed the decorated coach to take a step back and enjoy a moment of her own. With a dominant 12-1 win over Bloomsburg University in game one of a conference doubleheader, Lawes became the 14th coach in NCAA DII history and 39th across all NCAA divisions to eclipse 1,000 career wins. “It’s super exciting,” Lawes said shortly after the milestone victory. “Not just for me personally, but for all of the student- athletes I’ve coached and assistants who helped me along the way to get here. It’s a sign of a successful program. It’s because of them that I have these wins. Throughout the years, I’ve received so much support from them, the Kutztown community, and the entire athletic department. Reaching a milestone like this is just as much about the people around you as it is you.” Lawes recently earned her eighth career PSAC East Coach of the Year award after leading KU to a 33-15 record in 2021 that included a trip to the PSAC semifinals and the top seed in the NCAA DII Atlantic Region Championship tournament. Lawes’ career record stands at 1,025-579-2 over 34 seasons.