James A. WhiteJames A. White, long-time Washington & Jefferson College administrator and coach of a number of sports, including wrestling, passed away on Wednesday, July 25, the Washington, Pa. school announced Thursday. He was 84.
White served as the wrestling coach as well as men's tennis coach from 1965-1997. He also spent 21 years as an assistant football coach at the college. For over 20 years, he coached a sport during every season of the academic year: football in the fall, wrestling in winter, and, in the spring, tennis.
A native of Pennsylvania, White guided the Presidents' wrestling program to three of the program's five Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championships (1965, 1966, 1995). The 1965 title came during his first year as a coach. White's tennis teams also enjoyed tremendous success, winning the only four conference team championships in school history (1967, 1968, 1969, 1986). White coached 66 PAC individual tennis or wrestling champions, five NCAA All-Americans and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
White also served as associate director of athletics towards the end of his 34-year career at W&J.
"Jim White was beloved by the student-athletes he coached and the colleagues he worked with," said Scott McGuinness, director of athletics at W&J. "Our current coaching staff strives to make meaningful impacts like Jim accomplished every day of his career. A true W&J President, he will be greatly missed by the W&J community."
"He was more than a coach, but also a mentor and a father figure," said Angelo Morascyzk, 1976 W&J graduate who wrestled for White in the 1970s, then later served as an assistant wrestling coach with White when starting his coaching career.
"As an 18-year-old trying to make a decision on where to attend college, I knew I'd be in great hands with Coach White. His caring and compassionate side was easy to see. Coach White was a natural fit for NCAA Division III athletics. His teams had a lot of success, but it wasn't about the wins and losses. For Coach White, he wanted his athletes to enjoy the entire student experience at W&J."
Tom Elling, author and historian on all things wrestling in the state of Pennsylvania, told InterMat Friday evening, "Coach White certainly was versatile and was outstanding in everything he did. W&J was better for having him as their 'face' for those years. While I never had the pleasure of meeting him face-to-face, I certainly appreciated his impact on wrestling in Pennsylvania."
Born in Linesville, Pa. in April 1934, Jim White graduated from Harrisburg High School. He continued his education at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, then earned master's degree in physical education from Michigan State.
Upon his retirement from W&J in 1997, White received an honorary doctorate from the school he had served for more than three decades. He and with his wife Claire, relocated to Long Beach Island, N.J.
White was welcomed into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was a 2013 inductee into the Washington & Jefferson College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Visitation for James A. White will be held on Sunday, July 29, 2018 at the Thomas L. Shinn Funeral Home, 10 Hilliard Dr., Manahawkin, NJ from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A Mass will be held on Monday, July 30 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church, 100 Bishop Lane, Manahawkin, NJ. Committal service will follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Beachview Ave., Manahawkin.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim White's name may be made to either Serenity Hospice Care, 56 Georgetown Rd., Bordentown, NJ 08505 or Ken's Kitchen of St. Mary, 747 W. Bay Ave., Barnegat, NJ 08008. Those wishing to leave online condolences for the family may visit the funeral home's website.
Founded in 1781, Washington & Jefferson College is a private, liberal arts college located in Washington, Pa., about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh. W&J has a total enrollment of approximately 1,500 students. The school's varsity sports teams, named the Presidents, compete in NCAA Division III.
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