Former CMU coach, administrator named to MAC Hall of Fame
CLEVELAND — Former Central Michigan coach, administrator and NCAA referee Marcy Weston has been inducted into the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame.
Marcy Weston, who retired last year, is one of four to be inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame this year, joining Patricia Buscher from Miami (Ohio), Sarah Barnhard from Western Michigan and Mike Jones from Eastern Michigan.
Weston said Athletics Director Dave Heeke called her a week ago from Monday to inform her of her accomplishment. She was in attendance Friday as the women's basketball team beat Eastern Michigan to advance to the MAC Tournament Championship.
"I was shocked, surprised, but very humbled," Weston said.
Weston will be honored on June 1 at the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland. Heeke said it will coincide with the MAC's spring meetings and added the honor is "well-deserved."
"It’s certainly not surprising for all of her contributions to not only Central Michigan but to this conference and her reputation as a leader in college athletics is remarkable," Heeke said.
Weston said she has received 15-20 notes since her induction was announced, and was greeted by many CMU fans in attendance at Quicken Loans Arena for the women's basketball MAC Tournament Semifinal on Friday.
"(My) mom always used to tell me, ‘Whatever you do, just do it well and people will say thank you in different ways if you don’t mess up,'" Weston said. "I tried to stay within bounds and work hard and take care of our student-athletes and our coaches.”
Weston’s CMU career included coaching the CMU women’s field hockey, volleyball and basketball teams. In 15 years as the volleyball coach, her record stands at 419-143-5, including winning 54 games in 1981.
Weston lost her role as the field hockey coach in 1974 when the previous coach came back to CMU. She told administrators that she could do other things.
She coached the women's basketball team in 1974-75 and 1975-76 and the volleyball team from 1974-1988. She said it was possible to coach multiple programs then because each sport didn't have year-round activities.
"(CMU) let me do a lot of things," Weston said. "My AD always let me be involved with the NCAA and it’s worked out for me and I believe it has worked out for them as well."
Her time as an administrator at CMU includes a stint as the senior associate athletics director from 1989-2011 and the executive associate director of athletics/sports administration, where she supervised student-athlete services, sports medicine, strength and conditioning, student employment and department personnel.
She also was a national coordinator of NCAA women’s basketball officiating from 1986-2005, while also officiating the 1982 and 1984 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship games. The 1982 championship was the first Final Four in women's basketball history.
Women's basketball Head Coach Sue Guevara said she hopes to be like Weston when she grows older.
“Whenever I had anything, I always had the opportunity to walk in Marcy’s office," Guevara said. "She’s very fair, she listens, she will sometimes help you think out of the box and at other times be able to look at you and say, ‘Sue, now I think you are really wrong on this. You might want to think about it this way.’ She’s just a class-act Chippewa.”
MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher issued a statement on Weston, Buscher, Barnhard and Jones.
“It is only appropriate for our conference to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our former students, coaches and administrators, specifically these four individuals, and their achievements during their time competing in the (MAC),” Steinbrecher said. “We are honored to welcome them to the (MAC) Hall of Fame.”
Heeke said Weston worked at the "genesis of Title IX" and was at the forefront of "the incredible growth of opportunities for women." He added Weston was an advocate for not just women, but all student-athletes.
"When (you talk to) one of our former student-athletes, they always ask, ‘How’s Marcy Weston?’" Heeke said. "I think the ultimate compliment of an administrator is when student-athletes ask about you when they leave, you made an impact on their lives.”
Weston has been inducted in the Marcy Weston Hall of Fame, which is named after her and honors CMU athletic greats.
“Working in college athletics, for Marcy, is a true calling," Heeke said. "She was one of the most talented and special individuals in the history of college athletics. That’s a pretty neat thing.”
Weston stayed in Florida in the winter and said she's taking a year to relax and not be too involved. She retired in spring 2015. Weston will head to her cottage on Lake Michigan for the summer, but will remain in Mt. Pleasant for fall sports action.
“When I’m in town, my car automatically drives itself to (the) Rose (Center)," she said.
Weston said she favors coaching over officiating and administration because she gets to develop a relationship with student-athletes.
“It was a passion," she said. "I loved officiating, I loved coaching, I loved working with coaches. It’s been a great career. This is a giant thank you by the MAC. It’s a great thank you and I couldn’t be more honored.”
