[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11950]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING RON MASON

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I, along with my Michigan colleague, 
Senator Stabenow, would like to congratulate Ron Mason on a long and 
distinguished career at Michigan State University. He has been integral 
to the success of Michigan State's hockey program for more than 29 
years and has positively impacted the lives of many young people 
throughout his tenure at MSU.
  Ron Mason enjoys the distinction of being the winningest coach in 
college hockey history. That is an impressive feat, one of which he, 
his family and the MSU community are proud. Ron spent 36 years as a 
college hockey head coach, 23 of which were behind the bench at 
Michigan State University. During his stellar career, he amassed 924 
total wins and a record of 635-270-69 as head coach of the Spartans. 
Ron guided the Spartans to 17 CCHA regular season and playoff titles, 
and 23 appearances in the NCAA tournament, which stands as an all-time 
record. In 1986, he led the Spartans to their second NCAA Hockey 
National Championship in the school's history, and in 1972, he won a 
NAIA Championship as head coach of Lake Superior State University.
  After retiring as head coach of the Spartans, Ron accepted the job of 
athletic director at Michigan State, where he would continue to make 
important contributions to the success of the 25-sport athletic 
department. Under his watch, the university won 11 conference 
championships and one national championship. Fittingly, the national 
championship was won by the ice hockey team, the program's third NCAA 
national championship. Ron's legacy as athletic director also includes 
the many contributions he has made in the lives of student-athletes at 
MSU off the field. These efforts include the PACT initiative which has 
enabled more than 300 student-athletes to participate in community 
outreach efforts, the establishment of the Student-Athlete 
Multicultural Center which provides leadership training to student-
athletes, and his highly successful fundraising efforts for the 
athletic department.
  One of the great privileges of coaching and working on the collegiate 
level is the impact an individual can have in shaping the lives of 
young men and women. Ron Mason accepted this responsibility and 
flourished. In the process, he has become an important figure in MSU's 
rich athletic tradition.
  Ron's retirement will be aptly marked by a celebration on Thursday, 
June 12 at MSU. We know our Senate colleagues join us in paying tribute 
to Ron Mason on his many accomplishments over the years and wish him 
and his family the very best in their future endeavors.

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