The Niagara College Department of Athletics & Recreation is pleased to announce that former administrator and coach Peter Rylander will be inducted into the CCAA Hall of Fame on June 7th. The induction ceremony will be held at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Toronto as part of the CCAA's Annual General Meeting.
Peter Rylander began his career with Niagara College in 1969 and quickly became a guiding force within Niagara College Athletics, the OCAA, and the CCAA. He remained involved for over 27 years before retiring in 1996.
"Peter was one of the pioneers of intercollegiate sport at Niagara College," said Matthew Davies, Director of Athletics and Recreation. "His contributions to Niagara, the OCAA, and the CCAA are invaluable and his work built a foundation of excellence that persists to this day."
In his 27 years at Niagara, he oversaw 19 OCAA Championships, four CCAA National Championships, and five ICHL Championships. Rylander was one of the earliest coaches of the Niagara Knights men's basketball program, including two stints from 1970-78 and 1980-87. He coached 269 games and holds the Knights coaching records for all-time wins (127) and wins in a season (16). Rylander also held a variety of other head coaching positions throughout the years, including golf (1975), tennis (1984), and touch football (1993-95). As a coach he led the Knights to the OCAA Division II basketball championship (1972) and three straight OCAA touch football championships (1993-96).
Rylander was also a key figure in the growth of both the OCAA and CCAA, holding a number of executive positions throughout his administrative career. He spent three separate two-year terms on the OCAA Executive Committee; he was Treasurer (1973-75), President (1983-85), and Past President and Chair of the Constitution Committee (1985-1987). Rylander was also the OCAA Senior Convenor for golf (1975-76, 1994-96) and men's basketball (1978-80). At the national level, he served on the CCAA Board of Governors (1979-81) and was Secretary on the CCAA Executive Committee for three years (1981-1984).
Rylander's career has garnered him a number of awards and accomplishments. He was honoured by the OCAA in 1997 with the Shield Award for his exceptional contributions to the OCAA and CCAA in the areas of leadership and development. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the Niagara Knights Hall of Fame in 1998 and was inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame in 2003.
The CCAA Hall of Fame was founded in 2014, in conjunction with the organization's 40th anniversary. 10 members were inducted into the inaugural class, with an additional five members being added in 2015. Rylander is the first inductee from Niagara College and will be one of 10 members inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2016, consisting of a mix of builders, coaches, and athletes.
