HANOVER, N.H. (AP) - Sandy Ford-Centonze, Dartmouth College’s head women’s track and field coach for 28 years, has died. She was 59.
Ford-Centonze, who battled cancer for several months, died Saturday in hospice care at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, a spokesman for the college said Monday.
“Very few coaches have had such an inspiring impact on the lives of so many students,” said Barry Harwick, the head men’s track and field cross country coach at Dartmouth. “Sandy was able to be tough and demanding, and then warm and caring, all depending on what one of our athletes needed. Her technical skills were outstanding, and it was exciting to watch the kids she worked with get better.”
Before coming to Dartmouth, Ford-Centonze spent six seasons as the head coach of women’s track at the University of Vermont. Prior to her time in Burlington, she worked as an assistant at her alma mater of Appalachian State from 1984-1986. As a student, she was a two-year captain of the team and was named the Most Valuable Performer as a junior.
She sent many athletes to the NCAA East Regional over the years and many to the NCAA Championship Meet in both winter and late spring.
A public memorial service will be held at Dartmouth’s Rollins Chapel in Hanover on Jan. 4.
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