ECAC-SIDA News

Les Unger, well-known to many for his career as an athletic administrator at Rutgers University and later with the Meadowlands Sports Complex, passed away on April 14 in Colorado Springs, CO., at age 77.

Unger, who graduated from Rutgers in 1952, worked at his alma mater from 1955-76, including serving as the Scarlet Knights’ Sports Information Director from 1955-74. He played an instrumental role in promoting a number of memorable highlights in Rutgers Athletics history, including the 1961 undefeated Rutgers football team  that finished 9-0 and No. 15 in the country, and the 1966-67 men’s basketball team that advanced to the National Invitation Tournament’s (NIT) Final Four, Rutgers’ first-ever appearance in a national tournament. Among the many great athletes he promoted were football All-Americans Billy Austin and Alex Kroll, basketball All-American Bob Lloyd and baseball All-American Jeff Torborg.

“Les was a ‘Rutgers guy’ his entire life,” said Dick Lloyd, former Director of Alumni Relations at Rutgers, who also served as men’s basketball coach. “He was a Rutgers grad and a long-time employee, who remained a friend of Rutgers, its athletics program and its student-athletes, throughout his life.”

In 1976, Unger was named Director of Public Relations at the Meadowlands. He worked at the Meadowlands from 1976 to 1990, and helped open Giants Stadium in 1976 and the Meadowlands Arena (now the Izod Center) in 1981. He also served as the Director of College Athletics at the Meadowlands, and assisted in bring numerous events to the facilities, including the Garden State Bowl and multiple NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournaments 1st/2nd Rounds and Regionals.

After retiring from the Meadowlands, Unger worked with the United States Golf Association as a part-time employee in the communications department. One of his primary responsibilities was serving as the press conference moderator at USGA championship events, including the U.S. Open.

Unger resided in New Jersey for 71 years, before moving to Colorado Springs in 2003. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jan, who was the Rutgers women’s golf coach for 17 years before retiring in 1996, as well as daughters Susan and Bobbi, son Michael, and seven grandchildren.

--courtesy Rutgers University Athletics Communications