Dr. Edwin Abar made significant contributions to Westfield State athletics for more than 40 years.

Player, student manager, assistant coach, publicist, confidant, recruiter, and faculty athletics representative - just to name a few of his contributions - Dr. Abar truly was the Owls’ Super Booster.

During his undergraduate years, the 1968 WSC graduate was a “manager for all seasons”, serving as the student manager for the soccer, basketball, and baseball teams. He also played a major role in publicizing the teams’ accomplishments while wearing the following hats: WSC sports information director (two years), college newspaper sports editor (three years), yearbook sports editor (one year), and staff writer/photographer for the Westfield Evening News (one year). He received the WSC Lettermen’s Club prestigious award for Contribution to Athletics during his senior year.

Dr. Abar continued to support the Owl athletic teams while earning his master’s degree (’70) at Westfield State, and after becoming a faculty member at the college in 1971. He was the freshman basketball coach for two years and the assistant varsity basketball coach for seven years. He also served as the sports information director for seven years and a staff writer for the Westfield Evening News for five years.

Professor Abar, who earned his doctorate degree from U-Mass Amherst in 1982, founded and was chairperson of the highly acclaimed communication major at Westfield State College. As department intern coordinator he provided the athletics department with student interns for 20 years.

One of his most enjoyable contributions was serving as the leader of the “chain gang” at the Owl football games for nearly 20 years.

His most significant impact, however, came while serving as the college’s NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). He served on many college committees as the college FAR, including freshman admissions and the President’s field house planning committee. He was the originator and coordinator of the college’s faculty athletic advisory board.

Dr. Abar served on the NCAA Rules Compliance Committee and was the NCAA FAR representative for the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference. He received the All-American Football Foundation’s Outstanding Faculty Athletic Representative Award in 2002.

He was a life member of the Western Massachusetts Baseball Umpires Association and was a recipient of the Jack Lanzillo Award for lifetime achievement.

Dr. Abar, a past president of the Westfield Kiwanis Club, volunteered countless hours to worthwhile causes in the city of Westfield. Following his retirement from Westfield State in 2004, Dr. Abar maintained a keen interest in the exploits of the Owl athletics programs.