Conference

Click Here To Watch A Video Tribute To Bob Balut (WMV File)
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On December 8th, the Northeast Conference and its member institutions celebrated the life of Bob Balut, who enjoyed a long history with the conference before his untimely passing in March after a long battle with colon cancer at the age of 32.

Bob is survived by his wife Erica and their son, Aidan Robert, who just turned 2 1/2 years old. To benefit the Aidan Robert Balut Scholarship Fund, Wagner College hosted St. Francis (NY) in a men's basketball game that aired live on MSG Network on the 8th. All members of the television crew, from announcers to camera workers to engineers to the producer and director, donated their game fees to the fund. Additional proceeds, including gate receipts and fan donations, from all NEC games that weekend were earmarked for the fund.

Born in Edison, NJ, Bob was known for his energy and passion for his work. He began his tenure with the NEC in November, 2003, and was the league's media contact for football, women's basketball and softball, organized numerous championships and played a key role in the relaunch of the conference website.

Bob's history with the NEC included a six-year stint at Wagner College, including four as the school's Sports Information Director from 1999-03. He created the Seahawk Broadcasting Network, which streamed Wagner’s first-ever Internet broadcasts for football, basketball and baseball. In addition, Bob served on the Wagner Athletic Hall of Fame and the Seahawk Golf Classic committees and had a two-year stint as the Chair of the NEC Sports Information Directors committee. Bob also worked as a media relations assistant at the University of Massachusetts in 1997 and began his career as an undergraduate assistant at the University of South Carolina, where he served as baseball contact for two seasons (1996-97). He won a CoSIDA/Baseball Writers Association "Best In The Nation" award for his 1997 baseball media guide.