from umterps.com
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland Athletics Department is mourning the loss of Terrapin Hall of Fame sports information director and ticket manager, Jack Zane, who passed away peacefully Tuesday morning.
Zane was a staple in College Park for more than 40 years in a variety of capacities in the athletic department from 1969 to 2011, most notably publicizing and documenting athletic history for the school as its sports information director.
Zane was a 1986 inductee of both the University of Maryland and College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Halls of Fame, and was awarded lifetime achievement awards by both CoSIDA (2000) and the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame (2015). He also proudly served as CoSIDA President in 1985 and 1986.
Zane was a lifelong Marylander, and enlisted in the Navy for four and a half years before graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in journalism.
While at Maryland, Zane discovered his love for college athletics while assisting then-sports information director Joe. F. Blair for three years as an undergrad. He also served as the first executive sports editor of Maryland’s student newspaper, The Diamondback, and was President of Pi Kappa Alpha.
Upon graduation, Zane spent two more years as a full-time assistant for Blair, before working at George Washington for six years in the sports information office.
He could not stray from College Park long, however, as he returned to the University of Maryland in 1969 and remained for more than 40 years.
Zane quickly emerged as one of the most well-respected sports information directors in the country, serving in the capacity from 1969 to 1988 sharing the athletic department’s best stories and publicizing countless all-americans.
Zane spent another decade serving as ticket manager, before overseeing the department’s Walk of Fame project and its most historic properties.
The press box at Maryland Stadium was named the Blair–Zane Media Work Area in 1991. The office of the media relations department head in XFINITY Center is named for Zane as well.
Zane and his wife, Judy, were Terrapin Club members for 47 years. They held Maryland football season tickets for 47 years, men’s basketball season tickets for 44 years and women’s basketball season tickets for 17 years.
No comments have been posted yet, be the first!
Post a comment by filling out the form below.
