Skip Lord’s heart for student-athletes and coaches has been a hallmark of his 30-years as a coach and administrator in intercollegiate athletics. Lord served as the executive director of intercollegiate athletics at Houghton College from 1994 until 2018, when he transitioned to his current position as National Director of Athletics Engagement in the college’s Office of Advancement. In this position, Lord collaborates with key offices on campus to connect with alumni, parents, friends, and corporate sponsors, as well as current and prospective student-athletes. He also serves as a member of the Athletics Advisory Board and provides leadership to the Highlander Club.
Under Lord’s direction, the athletics program at Houghton grew to be one of the most respected among small schools in the Northeast. He most recently provided oversight to the college’s growth from 10 sports to 18, their transition into NCAA Division III and the Empire 8 Conference, and spearheaded a two-year multi-million dollar facilities project that included the Kerr-Pegula Field House and baseball and softball stadiums.
Lord also served as first vice president for the Empire 8 Conference and still serves as a member of the NCAA Common Ground Think Tank. During the college’s NAIA membership, he was active in leadership roles on conference, regional and national levels, and was highly involved in the organization’s Champions of Character initiative. He served as a conference commissioner and was elected as chair of NAIA Region IX to represent the region’s 22 schools to the Council of Athletic Administrators at the national level.
In 2001 and 2008 Lord was named one of four winners in the NAIA Athletic Director of the Year Award, given by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He was twice named NAIA Northeast Region Male Administrator of the Year, is a three-time conference administrator of the year, and was named 1999-2000 NAIA Region IX Athletics Director of the Year.
Lord also served as Houghton’s women’s basketball head coach for 25 years, recording more than 350 wins and guiding his teams to four NAIA National Tournaments. He was inducted into the college’s Athletics Hall of Honor in 2012.
