YIANOUKOS - CLARKSON ATHLETIC HALL of FAME

Very few alumni or administrators can match the impact that Steve Yianoukos had over Clarkson University or Golden Knights’ Athletics. A graduate in 1972, Yianoukos had a run of more than three decades functioning as an athletic administrator for Clarkson, specifically in a unique role of serving both Division I and Division III athletics.

Yianoukos began his tenure in the Clarkson Athletic Department in 1984 and eventually was elevated to the position of Director of Athletics in August 2005, becoming the eighth athletic director for the school. The Potsdam, NY native was actively involved with Clarkson's Department of Physical Education, Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation since his undergraduate days at the University in the early 1970s.  Prior to taking the helm in 2005, Yianoukos served as the Associate Director of Athletics and before that he was the executive officer of Physical Education/Recreation at the University from 1984 to 1997.

During his tenure the department witnessed unprecedented growth. Most notably, Yianoukos oversaw the rise in women's sports with three NCAA Division I National Championships from Women's Hockey, four NCAA Division III Quarterfinals (or Elite 8) appearances in Women's Volleyball, and being an instrumental part in the addition of softball to the list of varsity athletic offerings at the University.  Under his direction, Clarkson’s Athletic Department had 27 NCAA Tournament Appearances, hosted five NCAA Volleyball Regional Tournaments and three NCAA Women's Hockey Tournament games, and the school also won five USCSA Championships for Nordic and Alpine Skiing. From 2005 to 2019, the men's and women's hockey programs earned five regular-season ECAC Championships and four ECAC Tournament Championships. Clarkson won both the Men's and Women's ECAC Hockey Tournament Championships in March 2019. 

From 2005 to 2019, both the Division I and the Division III programs produced nearly 40 different student-athletes achieving All-American status, some with multiple honors. Jamie Lee Rattray, another 2026 Clarkson Hall of Fame inductee, and Loren Gabel won the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in college women's hockey, while John Coleman was chosen as a 2016 Today's Top 10 Award Winner by the NCAA among 530,000 student-athletes for both his academic and athletic accomplishments in baseball and basketball.

Throughout his fifteen years at the helm as athletic director, Yianoukos continually looked for ways to enhance the overall student-athlete experience. He has been an advocate for the #LetsCUGive campaign, which raised over $400,000 in its first three years and continues to be a vital component of Clarkson’s Athletic fundraising arm, helping cultivate a culture of giving among not only alumni but current students, staff, and community members. Additionally, he was instrumental in getting the Cheel Renovation project off the ground, with the Yianoukos Fitness Center at Cheel Arena bearing his name.