Francis ‘Frank’ Mach ’55, a recipient of the Tommie Award and former athletic director for 25 years, passed away on March 18. He was 90 years old.
Francis ‘Frank’ Mach ’55
Mach was an All-American football player at St. Thomas in the 1950s before returning to serve as athletic director in 1968.
A fall 2003 article from St. Thomas magazine by former Sports Information Director Gene Mc Givern highlights how Mach played a key role in expanding and enhancing the athletics program at St. Thomas. During his tenure as athletic director, the program transitioned its national affiliation from NAIA to NCAA Division III.
“Mach oversaw the creation of women’s varsity teams after women were admitted as students in 1977. Under the leadership of Mach and his successor, Steve Fritz, the St. Thomas athletic program exploded in the 1980s and 1990s. The Tommies won nine national team titles from 1981-91, including five in women’s cross country, two in men’s cross country and one each in men’s indoor track and in women’s basketball. St. Thomas dominated the MIAC all-sport championships, too, with 11 consecutive men’s and women’s titles from 1986-96,” Mc Givern wrote.
“I definitely wanted the sports program to be something we could be proud of,” Mach was quoted as saying in the article.
Mach was also at the helm when Title IX came into effect in 1972-a significant piece of legislation promoting gender equity.
Jo Ann Andregg, who served as associate athletic director and coached volleyball and tennis, shared her thoughts about Mach’s influence along with several men’s coaches in an article by Mc Givern in winter 2003 issue of St. Thomas magazine.
“Frank was way ahead of his time,” Andregg said. “We could have put women’s athletics on the periphery and made it a glorified intramural program. But Frank was a competitive guy and he wanted to get the best coaches and have the best program, so we came in as full-fledged members right away. Men’s coaches, like Larry Russ in cross country and Joe Flood in golf, were asked to take the women’s teams under their wing, and both of them said yes. We were treated as equals right away, and that set the tone.”
In his obituary, Mach expressed pride regarding his various leadership roles at St. Thomas: “My most gratifying accomplishment was playing a significant role in reestablishing the men’s athletic program to prominence in the MIAC, and the rare opportunity to start an athletics program for women and watch it prosper.”
He is survived by his wife Phyllis; children Mary, Teri Ryan, Diane and Tom; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Services have already taken place.
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