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Víctor Lopez, president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC), received Rice University’s 2016 Meritorious Service Award during the Laureates Awards dinner in Houston on Saturday (14).
Lopez completed all of his college studies in Houston, Texas, since he earned a track and field scholarship from the University of Houston in 1963. There, he earned BS in physical education degree and went on to complete a master’s degree at the University of Texas Southern, also in Houston.
He was pursuing his PhD studies at the University of Houston when he was hired by Rice University in 1979 to lead the women’s track and field programme. He served as the head coach during 26 years, until 2005.
In 1984, he created an annual track meeting that it is known today at the Victor Lopez Classic. During his tenure, he led numerous athletes from the Caribbean and North America to the Olympic Games.
“I would like to humbly share this award with hundreds of athletes who trained under my guidance and with my family, who sacrificed countless of weekends during may years without my presence,” said Lopez, who is also the president of the Association of Pan American Athletics (APA) and the second vice president of his country’s Olympic Committee.
“I would also like to share it with the NACAC and APA families, as well as with thousands of coaches from around the world.”
Since his retirement from Rice after 26 years of service, Lopez has also served as the chairman of the IAAF Coaches Commission since 2005 and has been part of the IAAF Council since 2013.
NACAC for the IAAF
