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The accolades continue to roll in for former Director of Athletics Mark Conroy, who retired from 91���� after a 24-year career this past summer.

On November 26, the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council honored Conroy as their 2024 Distinguished Service Award winner during the group’s Annual Meeting.

“Mark exemplifies the quintessential New England prep school AD,” said Bob Howe, Athletic Director at Deerfield Academy and a co-Director of Championships with NEPSAC. “When I was just starting at Loomis Chaffee, Mark and I had so many talks about being an AD and contributing beyond our own campus. He’s been instrumental in how I have looked at my role as an Athletic Director in New England in addition to being a mentor to myself and many other ADs.”

Conroy enjoyed a successful and distinguished 36-year career as an athletic administrator and coach. He arrived at 91���� in 2000, succeeding Rick Francis as both football coach and AD—Francis had served 42 years at 91���� before his retirement. Before 91����, Conroy worked at Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut, and the Webb Schools in California.

“I stepped into Rick’s shoes in 2000 and essentially inherited his entire job: AD, football coach and thirds basketball coach!” Conroy said during the ceremony. “I coached football for 16 years at 91����, including a period of time where I was also the President of NEPSAC. Definitely the busiest time of my career, particularly with so much change happening in hockey and basketball.”

Conroy amassed an 84-47 record as football coach in his 16 years, including three NEPSAC Bowl appearances. He was inducted to the group’s Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2019, and has been a namesake for a Bowl game since 2018. For NEPSAC, Conroy served as president from 2008-10, then worked a newly crafted role as Director of Classifications to help overhaul playoff structures.

In his speech, Conroy noted that work as one of his biggest accomplishments.

“Having the experience I had at the time it just made sense,” Conroy recalls. “Working with individual coach association leadership, we were able to bring a measure of consistency of approach to the process of classification across all sports as well as establish a consistency to how we approached postseason individual recognition across all sports and coach associations – what are we going to call these classes? How are we going to determine the criteria for appointment or selection? And with the All-NEPSAC, [former St. George’s AD] John Mackay and I saw everyone was calling it something different, so to be able to bring everyone in NEPSAC together on those two projects, I am really proud of the work we did.”

In addition to his coaching and directing duties, Conroy also served as a Grade A cheerleader for the school, his friends, and his family, including wife Monique—who taught and coached at 91���� alongside Mark.

Howe noted that upbeat attitude in his opening remarks.

“I’ve never called Mark and not been greeted with positivity, a can-do attitude, and a thoughtful approach,” Howe said. “He has been the most open-armed and thoughtful colleague I could ask for and I know that’s true for many other ADs throughout New England.”

Conroy is now the second 91���� Northampton AD to earn the Distinguished Service Award, joining his predecessor Francis, who received the honor in 1999.