DR. DANIEL P. STARR

DR. DANIEL P. STARR

Canisius College long tenured Athletic Director

Dr. Daniel P. Starr served as athletic director at Canisius College for more than 26 years and, upon his departure, was the second longest tenured NCAA Division I A.D. in the country. In historical terms, that covered five presidents, the advent of the personal computer and the passing of one millennium into another. Athletically, his reign witnessed short shorts become long shorts and jockstraps give way to sports bras

For those who know him, Dan is as unique as they come. He began as a history professor and ended by creating more history than anyone ever affiliated with the Golden Griffins. Every female athlete to wear the Blue & Gold can credit their opportunity to Dan’s diligence in moving the women’s sports program to varsity status. Under Doc’s watch, Mary Beth Riley became the very first NCAA Woman of the Year and John Beilein found his way to the Main Street campus. Also noteworthy were the successes of the women’s gymnastics, softball and synchronized swim teams as well as the men’s and women’s cross country teams.

Along the way, he found it important to move club hockey to varsity status and realized the impact a college football program would have on campus. He brought Division I lacrosse to Buffalo and moved the athletic program from the ECAC to the North Atlantic Conference to the more institutionally aligned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. His relationships with members of the NIT committee helped secure the Griffs an invitation in 1985, 1994 and 1995. The latter resulted in a trip to Madison Square Garden as the Canisius quintet advanced to the semifinals.

Dan also carried the Canisius banner outside off campus, serving on various community, regional and national committees including the Empire State Games, the World University Games, various NCAA, MAAC and ECAC groups and assisting the charge to bring both the NCAA men’s basketball championship and ice hockey Frozen Four to HSBC Arena. In retirement he completed a comprehensive report on the state of the City of Buffalo high school athletic programs that included many documented recommendations that are in place today.

Through it all, Dan’s primary passion has always been his research and his writing. He culminated those efforts by publishing the Golden Age of Sports in Buffalo this past year, a must read for anyone with an interest in sports in the Queen City.

Dan Starr, a Golden Griffin, who directed Golden Moments, writing about a Golden Age!

The biographies contained on this website were written at the time of the honoree’s induction into the Hall of Fame. No attempt has been made to update these narratives to reflect more recent events, activities, or statistics.

The biographies contained on this website were written at the time of the honoree's induction into the Hall of Fame. No attempt has been made to update these narratives to reflect more recent events, activities, or statistics.