Through the generous gift of Ray and Nancy Loeschner, the game day experience for Albion College athletes and fans will be enhanced as the athletic department announced May 14 that a new scoreboard with video capability will be erected behind the west end zone at Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium and Schmidt-Fraser Field.
The unit will be ready when the football team makes its home debut Sept. 13 against Illinois Wesleyan University, and the video component of the board is expected to provide data in real-time when Albion hosts the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Field Day in 2015.
"I have wonderful memories from my years at Albion as does my daughter Amy (Loeschner Keane), '85," Ray Loeschner said. "Through the two of us, my wife Nancy, who passed away in 2012, learned to love Albion also. It is especially meaningful to our family, that the scoreboard honors three of Albion College's most loved and respected coaches (Morley Fraser, Elkin Isaac, and Pete Schmidt) for their dedicated service to the college."
Ray Loeschner played football and ran track his two years at Albion, gaining numerous awards in his senior year. Ray was the defensive captain and an all-conference performer as both an offensive guard and linebacker of the 1952 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion football team. He was also chosen as a member of the Little All-America Team. Ray's jersey, No. 53, was retired that year, the third jersey in Albion's history to have that honor.
Ray was also the captain of the 1953 track team. By the end of the season he had won the high point award and was selected as the Most Valuable Trackman for the year. At the MIAA Field Day that year Ray captured the pole vault championship and was chosen Albion's Most Outstanding Athlete for the 1952-53 year. He is also a charter member of the Albion Athletic Hall of Fame.
After graduating, Ray served for two years in the U.S. Navy before earning his master's and Ph.D. degrees at Northwestern University while working as an instructor, assistant freshman football coach and assistant varsity track coach. In 1958 he was appointed head football coach at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.
In 1964, Ray began his career in higher education administration by serving two years as the dean of student affairs at Washburn University, followed by a four-year stint at Eastern Michigan University, as assistant to the president and vice president for academic affairs. From 1970 to 1977 he served as president of Olivet College, and then was president of Ohio Northern University from 1977 to 1979. After leaving Ohio Northern, he was Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer with the C.S. Mott Foundation until 1992. In 1979 Ray founded Loeschner Enterprises, Inc. and served as its president until 2004. He currently serves on a number of boards and is a community volunteer in Grand Rapids. Prior to her death in 2012, Nancy was also very active as a volunteer in the community.
The scoreboard is the latest in a series of facility improvements in recent years. Artificial turf and a new track surface were installed at the stadium in 2011 and lights allowing for night practices and games came online in 2012. A scoreboard and timing system added to the Dean Aquatic Center last fall added to the enjoyment and efficiency of swimming & diving meets, and graphics to celebrate the tradition of Kresge Gymnasium were unveiled this spring.
The athletic department is continuing to raise funds to construct competition facilities for the baseball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer and softball programs with an entrance plaza to greet guests and parking. Contact Athletic Director Matt Arend, 517/629-0583 or marend@albion.edu, for more information.
