Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Athletics

Kandy Shannon’s athletic career at Rensselaer began when she was the captain of the cheerleading squad from 1969 to 1971. However, her undergraduate “cheerleading” extended to the more serious issues of women’s athletics and gender equality. She aggressively sought approval of the NCAA and ECAC of a policy that would allow women to compete on men’s teams, if a women’s equivalent were not available.

In 1972, after graduation with degrees in Management Engineering and Management Science, Kandy was named Rensselaer’s Assistant Athletic Director and Business Manager by Director of Athletics, Ed Jucker. Over the next eight years she was instrumental in the building the foundation for today’s athletic program for women in Rensselaer.

She managed the school’s athletic budget, coached, taught physical education and supported efforts to organize women’s teams in softball, field hockey, hockey, tennis and basketball. She was very determined in her efforts to secure locker rooms, practice facilities, volunteer assistants and athletic equipment. She worked tirelessly to persuade some “not-so-eager” women and men to believe in the values of and the potential for a women’s athletic program.

In 1973 she led the women’s club field hockey team in scoring. When field hockey became a varsity sport in 1976-77, she was appointed as Rensselaer’s first field hockey coach. She also coached in softball, tennis and basketball. The leading scorer on RPI’s 1979-80 fledgling women’s club hockey team was ring wing, Kandy Shannon. The 1979 season saw Kandy as Rensselaer’s volunteer assistant men’s baseball coach.

Director of Women’s Athletics, Carol Pillsworth, comments, “Kandy was a pioneer and an advocate for our programs. She certained deserves consideration for the Hall of Fame.”

During her lifetime, Kandy has participated in over 30 different sports, but her special interests are speed skating and running. At Rensselaer she taught physical education classes in skating or beginners and advanced students. After she left RPI, she began a career as a nationally ranked short track/speed skater (1992 Olympic Trials) and was California Short Track Speed Skating Champion for five years from 1983 to 1987. In 1989 she competed in the World Masters Track and Field Championships in the 100, 200 and 400 meters.

She has served as the president of Motion Explosion, Engineering the Art of Speed. Her company focused on skating and running analysis, teaching and technique. Her clients have included the San Jose Sharks and the New Orleans Saints. Shannon’s nominator, Hall of Famer, Ned Harkness comments, “She’s amazing! What she has accomplished in hockey, a sport dominated by men, is nothing short of incredible.”