June 15, 2007

OXFORD, Ohio - The Athletic Equipment Managers Association (AEMA) announced that Miami University equipment manager Mary O'Leary has been honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented to O'Leary at AEMA's 33rd annual convention, which was held June 5-8 in Reno, Nev.

A member of the Miami Athletic Department for 25 years, O'Leary has tirelessly served as the equipment manager for many of the Red and White's varsity athletic teams. During the 2006-07 season, O'Leary was stationed in Millett Hall and served as the equipment manager for men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country and track field, field hockey and volleyball. After dedicating more than a quarter century of service to Miami and its student-athletes, O'Leary will retire at the end of June.

An integral part of AEMA, O'Leary is a 24-year certified member and the longest-standing female in the organization. Since becoming a certified member, O'Leary has served the organization in many capacities, including as one of the original authors of the first AEMA manual. She also was AEMA's administrative assistant (1994-99), the associate executive director (1999-2001) and district director (1988-91). O'Leary additionally served as chairperson of numerous committees, wrote journal articles and presented workshops at AEMA's annual convention.

The lifetime achievement award marks the second time that O'Leary has been individually honored by AEMA. In 1991, O'Leary took home the Glenn Sharp Award, which is presented annually to AEMA's Equipment Manager of the Year in recognition of outstanding work, dedication and involvement. O'Leary is one of only three equipment managers from the Mid-American Conference to ever earn the Glenn Sharp Award. Glenn Sharp is a former equipment manager from Bowling Green.

The AEMA was founded in 1974 with a handful of equipment managers and has grown into a national organization of over 700 members, including male and female equipment managers at high schools, colleges and universities and professional sports. AEMA's mission is to promote, advance, and improve the equipment managers' profession in all phases. Since 1974, AEMA has established a presence in 10 districts throughout the United State and Canada and been recognized in the National Directory of College Athletics and The Blue Book of College Athletics.