Hall of Honor
H. “Skip” Lord began his journey at Houghton as a student in the Physical Education Department in the late 1970s. Upon graduation, Lord entered a successful career coaching high school football, wrestling, track and field, and girls’ basketball.
Eventually, he returned to Houghton to lead the volleyball and women’s basketball programs. In 1994, Lord was named assistant athletics director, while continuing to coach basketball. In 1997 he was promoted to athletics director and at the end of the 2011-2012 season he retired from his coaching position to become Houghton’s first full-time executive director of intercollegiate athletics.
Despite having the stressful dual role of administrator and coach, Lord excelled at both. During his eight seasons directing the volleyball program, he accumulated 164 wins, with a season high of 34 in 1991. His team won the Keystone-Empire Conference Championship and put together seven winning seasons. During his 25 seasons coaching the Highlanders women’s basketball program, he racked up more than 350 wins, four trips to the NAIA National Tournament, and was named the Northeast Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year, KECC Coach of the Year, NAIA Northeast Region Coach of the Year, and was a national finalist for the WBCA Coach of the Year.
His administrative contributions have also been noted by his colleagues on the conference, region and national levels. In 2002 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 has twice been named 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 takes pride in directing a department known for sports ministry, character development, academic excellence, and athletic achievement. Under his direction, the athletics program at Houghton College has grown to be one of the most respected amongst small schools in the Northeast.
Today, Lord’s workday is characterized by critical activities that will shape the future of athletics at Houghton College. They include oversight of the transition to NCAA Division III and the Empire 8 Conference, a multi-year, multi-million dollar facility improvement, and the addition of eight new sports offerings by 2013.
Skip and his wife Joan live in Houghton. Three of their children – Joel, Jessica, and Beth – are Houghton graduates.
