Richard Wackar
Richard Wackar stands outside of the football stadium that bears his name at Rowan University in this 2012 photo. (Tim Hawk | For NJ.com)
GLASSBORO -- The Rowan University community is mourning the death of a legend.
Coach Richard Wackar has died at age 88.
Wackar led the Profs football team to five conference titles and one Eastern Conference championship. Four of his star players earned All-American honors and one played professional football.
"Coach Wackar was far more than a coach at Rowan," said Dr. Ali A. Houshmand, president of Rowan University. "I only got to know him in his later years, but it's clear that his vision, leadership, wit and all-around cheerful and friendly manner had a wonderful impact on the lives of generations of students and employees -- including myself."
Wackar was the only coach in the New Jersey Athletic Conference to win conference championships in four sports -- football, golf, basketball and cross country.
He is credited with resurrecting then-Glassboro State College's football program in the early 1960s and went on to lead the team until 1980.
The university's football stadium was named in his honor in 2009.
In addition to his coaching duties, Wackar was a health and physical education professor at the school, where he helped develop undergraduate and graduate programs for those studies.
After retirement, Wackar remained a familiar face at the university and was an active member of the school's Brown and Gold Gridiron Club.
He had been in declining health in recent weeks, according to the university's announcement.
Rowan will hold a memorial service in the fall. The school is collecting condolences for his family through the Office of the President. Those may be sent to officeofthepresident@rowan.edu.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.