PITMAN, N.J. — Earlier this summer, at the annual New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) awards gala, the organization bestowed its newly-created Career Recognition Award to its two inaugural recipients. Lawrence "Larry" R. Schiner, a 40-year veteran of the New Jersey City University department of athletics, including 30 as the Director of Athletics, was one of those two honorees, alongside long-time Montclair State University athletic communications Michael Scala, who passed away in August of 2022 after 22 years with the Red Hawks.

"When you study the history of the NJAC, it is evident that Larry Schiner is one of the most influential and important individuals in the history of our conference," said NJAC Commissioner Terry Small. "From helping to form the conference, to serving as our first league president, Coach Schiner's leadership was instrumental in helping to develop and grow every aspect of the league. From a personal standpoint, he was a mentor to me long before I had the opportunity to join the conference, and it was an honor to get to work with him at the end of his tenure at NJCU. It was a pleasure to get the opportunity to recognize him with this newly implemented conference award, and I couldn't think of a more deserving honoree."

Schiner, the namesake for NJCU Athletics' Hall of Fame, is a two-time inductee, first as the men's basketball head coach in 1980 — he served nine seasons in that role — and then again in 2008 for his 30-year services as Director of Athletics. In addition to many things he accomplished with the Gothic Knights, including the development of both the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center and the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, he helped found the NJAC and served as the conference's first-ever president.

"This is a very special honor to receive the New Jersey Athletic Conference Career Recognition Award from the conference where I spent my entire 40-year career as a member working at Jersey City State College/New Jersey City University," Schiner said. "It makes it even more special that I was the first individual to receive this honor. I am very grateful to the conference and Terry Small for recognizing and selecting me for this award."

For more information on the award, as well as its inaugural recipients, read the full NJAC press release here or via the link above. You can also re-visit his retirement release from the summer of 2007 when he decided to close out his legendary career in intercollegiate athletics here.