Tom Lamonica is 71 years old, yet remains in touch with the younger crowd. An instructional assistant professor and director of field experiences in Illinois State’s School of Communication, Lamonica works with students more than 50 years his junior.
He sees promise in them. Specifically, that they have “a great work ethic” and a desire to “succeed and please people and do what’s good for other people.”
When news broke in December that Lamonica, ISU’s former sports information director, will be inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, hundreds of friends, colleagues and former students reached out. Some said, “I can’t believe you’re still working.”
His reply.
“I get older every year, but the freshmen are always 18,” Lamonica said.
That invigorates him. And of all the positives he sees in their generation, it makes sense Lamonica would value “do what’s good for other people.”
Athletic teams are said to take on the personality of their coach. The same applies to the students Lamonica teaches and mentors.
His passion for helping others is what made him this year’s choice for the Paul Morrison Award, given to an individual who has “made significant contributions to their respective league-member institutions, The Valley or collegiate athletics in general.”
Lamonica retired from ISU Athletic Media Relations in 2006 after 26 years, but his service and commitment to the Missouri Valley has never stopped. He volunteers each year at Arch Madness, the conference’s men’s basketball tournament in St. Louis, and for Hoops in the Heartland, the Valley women’s basketball tournament in Moline.
He also has worked at 24 NCAA basketball tournament sites, including two Final Fours in St. Louis, hosted by the Valley.
“A labor of love,” he calls it.
The Missouri Valley staff loves having Lamonica, whose experience makes him so versatile, “He can help in any area that we throw at him,” said Mike Kern.
Kern is the Valley’s senior associate commissioner for communications. In his 33rd year with the conference, he has relied on Lamonica many times.
“Tom is one of those guys who will say yes to something before you even ask him,” Kern said. “He’s that way. He just wants things to be better.
“He volunteers for everything we have, and the only time he can’t be there is when he’s teaching. So he’s always doing something to make our conference or his students better.”
Nominated alongside Boomer Grigsby
Lamonica is part of a six-member Hall of Fame class that also includes former Illinois State football star Boomer Grigsby. Grigsby and Lamonica are the 16th and 17th inductees from Illinois State in the MVC Hall of Fame’s 27-year history. They will be inducted March 8 in St. Louis during Arch Madness weekend.
“I’ve always been a words guy, but it’s still hard to put into words,” Lamonica said of the honor.
Lamonica is familiar with the Hall of Fame breakfast and induction ceremony. Among his duties at Arch Madness for more than a decade has been serving as the “de facto maître d” for the Hall of Fame class.
He makes sure the new Hall of Famers get where they’re supposed to be during their special weekend, doing whatever he can to assist them.
Recently, Valley commissioner Jeff Jackson called Lamonica and said, “Your usual job during the men’s Valley Tournament, you’re not going to be doing that this year.”
“There was a pause on the line and I’m thinking, ‘Uh oh. I’m fired. I’ve made somebody unhappy,’” Lamonica said.
Jackson broke the silence, telling Lamonica he would be among the Hall of Famers.
“We’ll have somebody else lead them around,” he said.
Lamonica was sports information director at the College of DuPage and Evansville University before coming to Illinois State in 1980. An independent at the time, ISU was in the process of applying for membership in the Missouri Valley.
That helped lure Lamonica to Normal.
“Getting into the conference I thought was a great achievement for Illinois State. It was something I was banking on when I took the job here,” Lamonica said. “The Valley has been a great thing for Illinois State, and Illinois State has been a great thing for the Valley. It’s brought a lot of recognition and success to the conference.”
Lamonica connected quickly with members of the Missouri Valley staff. He considers former commissioner Doug Elgin, current Missouri Valley Football Conference commissioner Patty Viverito and senior associate commissioners Kern and Jack Watkins to be “the Mount Rushmore of the Missouri Valley Conference.”
“These are not just top of the line professionals, but unbelievably great people,” Lamonica said.
Watkins used “professional” to describe Lamonica, along with “courteous” and “respectful” and “a great listener.”
“My first year in the league was 1992-93 and Tom was a great resource to me,” Watkins said. “He was quite a mentor to me, as he is to everyone. He lets you get from A to B on your own. That doesn’t mean he might not guide you a little bit. It’s not being overbearing … it’s more parental and being an educator.”
Education is the cornerstone of Lamonica’s family. His wife, Dr. Claire Coleman Lamonica, is a retired Illinois State administrator and English professor.
They support Illinois State faithfully and volunteer in the community. They are quick to say yes, and Watkins has a theory as to why.
“While Tom is a very bright and wonderful human being, I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say no in English, much less nada, nyet, nein … whatever language,” Watkins said. “I don’t think that word is in Tom’s vocabulary when it comes to helping other people.
“He’s not quite Will Rogers from the standpoint of ‘he never met a man he didn’t like.’ But I’ll say this, Tom has never met a human being that he would not help.”
