California University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Since the late 1970s, California University athletics has risen from the NAIA level to one of the premiere athletic programs in the competitive and talented world of NCAA Division II with 13 varsity sports programs.

The driving force behind this progression was Dr. John Pierce Watkins, The President Emeritus, who served as Cal U President from 1977 through 1992.

Under Watkins’ leadership, Cal athletics achieved a distinguished record of performance, winning conference championships in football, men’s basketball, women’s and men’s tennis, women’s volleyball, women’s softball, golf, and baseball. More importantly, Watkins also made sure the development of Cal U’s women’s programs were consistent with the requirements of the NCAA and Title IX long before gender-equity became a nationwide issue. He established a scholarship athletic program that provided appropriate opportunities for both genders while always maintaining academics as the university’s main focus.

“When we started the athletic scholarship program, I also made a commitment to myself,” said Watkins. “I was determined that for every one dollar we raised for athletics, there would be four or five dollars that went to academic scholarships, and we pretty much maintained that ratio. The success we had in fundraising for athletics was the result of the combined efforts of the several vice presidents and the University alumni and friends. Especially from the vice presidents in student development, their staffs, and the strong support of student leaders in SAI.”

The upgrade of the university’s athletic programs also brought along the hiring of full-time coaches.

“If you have good teachers, you are going to have academic success, and the same holds true for athletics and good coaches,” Watkins said. “We have hard-working coaches here who are teachers in a sense and they care about the students.”

Athletics has always played a significant role in Watkins’ life. Originally from Denbo, Watkins is a 1949 graduate of California High School where he competed in baseball, football, basketball and wrestling. He earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Cal U in 1953 and competed in basketball and tennis as well .Watkins earned his master’s degree from West Virginia University in 1955 and completed his Ph.D. in 1964 from the University of Pittsburgh.

Watkins was a Cal U professor of English from 1957 through 1973 and then served as the vice president of academic affairs from 1973 through 1976 before his extraordinary 15-year run as President. Always a strong supporter of athletics, Watkins was an assistant men’s tennis coach under fellow 2000 Hall of Fame inductee Allen Welsh in the 1960s and helped the Vulcans win three state titles. Along with teaching and coaching, Watkins was also the volunteer statistician for Bill Hepner’s Cal football team and was possibly the only Ph.D. that kept stats.

Active in the community, Watkins served on many area committees during his presidency, including the board of directors for the Mon Valley YMCA, Mon Valley Progress Council, and the United Way of Mon Valley and Pennsylvania. A true leader among his peers, Watkins was the chairman of the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities and the Commission of the State System of Higher Education Presidents.. Several of his countless individual awards are the distinguished Service Award from the AASCU, the Foundation for CUP’s Dixonian Award, and the Cal U Illustrious Californian Award.

Always academic-oriented, Watkins served as the acting provost at Cheyney University for six months after retiring as Cal U President and was then the interim President at Shepherd (WV) College for one year.

Watkins remains a regular and recognizable spectator at Vulcan athletic games.

“I enjoy watching students, whether it’s playing football or acting in a play or performing in the band, and I try to go to as many events as I can,” said Watkins. “As the President, I felt I owed it to the students to spread myself and see as much of them as I can. Let me conclude by saying that I have always felt that the quality of the athletic programs at this University, and the quality of the men and women student-athletes who represented this University, were of the highest order.”

Watkins and his wife, Carole, resides in Charleroi and are the parents of two children, John G. and Jennifer A. Watkins.