Former UVA & Notre Dame AD, ACC Commissioner Gene Corrigan dies at 91 in Charlottesville

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Gene Corrigan, one of the most influential men in the history of college athletics, died peacefully Saturday morning, surrounded by his family in Charlottesville. He was 91.

The man who changed University of Virginia athletics forever during his 10 years as athletic director — he also held that role at Notre Dame for a decade, and Washington & Lee, as well as another decade as commissioner of the ACC — lived a full and brilliant life.

He and his wife, Lena, spent the retirement years of his life at Glenmore in Charlottesville, where Gene played golf, tennis and was a regular swimmer until his health failed. Gene suffered a stroke more than a year ago, but he fought back and managed to attend a few functions over the summer and fall before experiencing a setback in December.

Named UVA’s AD in 1971, he took over a program that was financially challenged. After a few frustrating years on the job, he researched what would make the Cavaliers’ athletic programs competitive and formed his research into what was labeled the “Corrigan Report,” which helped turn around Virginia’s athletic fortunes.

He delivered the report to then–UVA president Frank Hereford and wasn’t sure what the reaction might be.

“I asked Hereford to please read this over the weekend, you might want to fire me on Monday,” Corrigan told this reporter. “I told [Hereford] I think we’re stagnant, not moving anywhere and we could be very good.

“He read the thing and called me into his office on Monday. I thought I might get a ticket to the next town. He had all his vice presidents in there and said I want all of you to read this and I want everybody here to figure a way to help.”

Virginia added more funds into the athletic department’s budget and began to take things more seriously. Corrigan went on to hire Terry Holland, Bruce Arena and Debbie Ryan, and UVA athletics began to change. It was one of his most brilliant accomplishments during a brilliant career.

Corrigan also hired Lou Holtz as football coach at Notre Dame, and Holtz led the Fighting Irish to a national championship while reviving the football program.

As commissioner of the ACC, he added Florida State to the league at exactly the right time to help raise the league’s football profile and to inspire the rest of the league to upgrade their programs and facilities.

Corrigan also hired the present–day ACC commissioner, and his predecessor, John Swofford.

“When Gene hired me at the University of Virginia straight out of graduate school, it was one of the luckiest days of my life,” Swofford said Saturday morning upon learning of Corrigan’s passing. “That day began a relationship and mentorship that lasted nearly half a century.

“Simply put, Gene was one of the most remarkable individuals, and leaders, I have ever known. His impact on the ACC and college athletics was profound and immeasurable, only surpassed by his impact on the individuals he positively affected — and there are a multitude of us. I will miss him immensely, but I am so grateful to have had him as a mentor, boss, friend and colleague for so many years. Nora and I spent several hours with Gene and Lena at their home in Charlottesville last fall. The time was truly special. Nora joins me in extending our hearts and prayers to Lena and the extraordinary Corrigan family.”

Corrigan became only the third ACC full-time commissioner in 1987 and remained in that role until his retirement in 1996. He also served as president of the NCAA from 1995-97.

Having been an outstanding lacrosse player at Loyola High School in Baltimore in 1946, Corrigan joined the U.S. Army for 18 months, but was later recruited to Duke where he received a degree in liberal arts in 1952. He was a four-year starter for the Blue Devils’ lacrosse program and was inducted into Duke’s athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.

He began his collegiate coaching career in 1955 as an asistant soccer, lacrosse and basketball coach at W&L and three years later he became the head lacrosse and soccer coach and assistant basketball coach at UVA, where he also served as sports information director.

Corrigan was lured back to W&L to become its AD in 1969, but came back to UVA as the Cavaliers’ athletic director two years later and remained there until Notre Dame called in 1981.

He was named to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1993, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. The National Football Foundation awarded him its highest honor — the Gold Medal — in 1996.

Corrigan is survived by his wife Lena (married 66 years), children Louise (Scott Wawner); Kathryn (Tony Zentgraf); David (Jean); Kevin (Lis); Brian (Kathy); Timothy (Jackie); and Boo (Kristen), 19 grandchildren and five great–grandchildren. Details on a memorial service have not been announced.