Diane Para
Director of Athletics / Assistant Dean of Students
Diane Para is in her 20th year at SUNY Canton and has served as Director of Athletics for the past 16 years. She has also been the Assistant Dean of Students for the past three years.
Diane guides a nine-sport athletic program that competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Sunrise Conference. Since the Roos joined the NAIA in the spring of 2007, the school has won championships in women's soccer, volleyball, and women's cross country and a regular season championship in women's basketball. She also successfully directed the schools transition from a two-year hockey program to a four-year program as a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). During the Roos first season in 2008-09, they finished 24-6 and at one point fashioned a 20-game winning streak.
In 2007 Diane was awarded the prestigious Presidential Meritorious Service Award for her outstanding dedication to the college.
Diane has been instrumental in the design of the college's new $40 million athletic and recreation center that is scheduled for completion in 2010-11. She has also spearheaded the creation of a sports management program that is slated to begin at SUNY Canton in 2010.
Diane began her career at SUNY Canton in 1989 as director of intramurals and recreation sports and as a technical assistant for the athletic department. She became an assistant to Athletic Director Al Chadwick and became the Athletic Director in 1993. Diane was the head women's softball coach at SUNY Canton for seven years and after a two-year absence has reassumed that role.
Para started the women's volleyball team at SUNY Canton and coached for eight seasons. She was named the Mid-State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2003.
In addition to coaching at SUNY Canton, Diane was an assistant softball coach at Division I Eastern Illinois University.
Para received her bachelor's degree in Physical Education with a minor in Sports Management from Ithaca College, and a master's degree in athletic and recreation management from Eastern Illinois. She is currently working towards her doctorate degree in leadership in higher education from Capella University in Minnesota.
The Ogdensburg, N.Y. native had an impressive softball career at Ithaca where she was a catcher for the nationally ranked Bombers from 1982-86. She was a two-time captain and won several team awards including the Most Improved Player as a freshman and the Hal Kuntz Coaches Award as a senior for outstanding play, leadership, and hustle.
Diane currently holds the unbeatable Ithaca school record for fielding percentage in a season (1.000) which she set during her senior year.
Diane graduated from Ogdensburg Free Academy where she was an All-Northern in soccer, volleyball, basketball, and softball. She currently resides in Ogdensburg.