The most visible man in Canisius athletics for over a quarter of a century, Dr. Dan Starr served as the College’s chief administrator from 1974-2000. His 26-year tenure as the school’s director of athletics is the longest in the College’s athletic history, and upon his departure, he was the second-longest tenured NCAA Division I athletic director in the country.

In historical terms, Starr’s reign as the Golden Griffins’ athletic director covered five U.S. Presidents, four New York State governors and three Buffalo mayors.

During his tenure, the Canisius athletic program grew from a small, men’s-only program to a department that included 21 varsity sports with the addition of women’s varsity sports to the offering. He played a key role in helping the Griffs jump to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1989, and he also played an instrumental role in helping create the ECAC Football Conference. His relationships with members of the NIT committee helped secure the men’s basketball program earn NIT berths in 1985, 1994 and 1995. The 1995 year resulted in a trip to Madison Square Garden as the Griffs advanced to the semifinals. He was also the athletic director when Canisius won its only MAAC men’s basketball crown, which came in 1996 under former head coach John Beilein, the current head coach at Michigan. “Doc” was the man who made the call to hire Beilein after the 1991-92 season.

Every female student-athlete to wear the Blue and Gold can credit their opportunity to Starr’s diligence in moving the women’s sports programs to varsity status. He also carried the Canisius banner off campus, serving on various community, regional and national committees, including the Empire State Games, the World University Games, various NCAA, MAAC and ECAC groups and assisting the charge to bring both the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Frozen Four to the City of Good Neighbors. In retirement, he completed a comprehensive report on the state of the City of Buffalo high school athletic programs that included many documented recommendations that are in place today.

Starr earned his undergraduate degree in history from Canisius in 1958. A year later, he earned his master’s degree from Rutgers before joining the Canisius faculty in 1962. In 1967, he received his Ph.D., from Rutgers. He was enshrined into the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.