Hall of Fame Focus Story
National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Hall of Famer Fred Gruninger served as a Rutgers administrator and coach for 40 years, including 25 years (1973-98) as Director of Athletics.
In addition to guiding the Scarlet Knights through a period of substantial growth and achievement, the New Jersey native was a champion of student-athlete well-being and spearhead initiatives to enhance their personal growth. Gruninger's focus upon the student-athlete as the most vital member of the athletics division led to the advancement of a variety of programs, including academic services, facilities, community involvement and personal development. He also created the Scarlet R Club, a branch of annual giving to benefit student-athletes and the athletics program. In order to bring the University into compliance with Title IX, Gruninger was charged with incorporating the University's women's sports teams, which competed for Douglass at the time, into the department. He enacted a three-year plan, bringing five women's programs under the Athletic Department umbrella annually to sponsor 15 women's sports within three years. The nation's first full-time women's basketball coach, Theresa Grentz, was hired by Gruninger in 1976 and led the Scarlet Knights to the 1982 AIAW Championship.
An Army veteran, Gruninger spearheaded the upgrading of facilities. Under his leadership, RU opened the 'new' Rutgers Stadium in 1994 and the Rutgers Athletic Center in 1977. He also served as chair of the University Golf Committee for 35 years and oversaw the development of the Rutgers Golf Course from a nine to an 18-hole facility.
In accordance with the University President's directive to go "bigger time," Gruninger orchestrated Rutgers' move to the Big East Conference in 1995 after presentations and talks with the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences.
A hallmark of Gruninger's tenure was the hosting of numerous conference, regional and national championships. Under his direction, Rutgers hosted the 1996 Men's Basketball Final Four at the Continental Airlines Arena and co-hosted the NCAA East Regional Men's Basketball Championship eight times from 1986-96. In addition, Rutgers hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships on six occasions.
A graduate of Scotch Plains High School, Gruninger was a member of the Rutgers baseball team before earning both bachelor's and master's degrees from The State University. He began his administrative tenure in 1958 as an alumni relations officer with what was then known as the "Rutgers Fund" before moving to athletics in 1966. The Scarlet Knights golf coach from 1963-71, he was appointed Assistant Athletic Director in 1966, Associate Athletic Director in 1971 and Director of Athletics in 1973.
Married in 1957, he and wife Barbara raised three children, Mark, who has three degrees from Rutgers, and Katherine and Jack, who were student-athletes at Lafayette and Virginia, respectively.
