TOWSON, Md. – Following unanimous support from the Landmark Conference Athletic Directors, the Landmark Presidents' Council has endorsed the renaming of the conference's internship program as the Mary Beth Spirk Internship, honoring the legacy of one of Division III athletics' most beloved mentors, advocates, and leaders.
Spirk, affectionately known throughout the collegiate athletics community as "MB," passed away in April 2026 after dedicating nearly five decades to Moravian University and Division III athletics. A nationally respected coach, administrator, educator, and leader, Spirk influenced generations of student-athletes and helped shape the Division III landscape through her service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to others.
While Spirk's accomplishments were extraordinary—including more than 650 victories as a women's basketball coach, National Coach of the Year honors, and recognition as a NACDA Athletics Director of the Year—it was her impact on people that became the focus of conversations among Landmark Conference peers.
As the conference explored ways to honor her legacy, the group continually returned to the same conclusion: Mary Beth Spirk's greatest gift was her ability to help others succeed.
Throughout her career, Spirk was a mentor, advocate, and trusted resource for those around her. Whether supporting a student-athlete, offering guidance to a colleague, or encouraging a young professional entering the field, she left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know her.
"When our athletic directors began discussing ways to honor MB's legacy, there were many worthy ideas," said Landmark Conference Commissioner Katie Boldvich. "But the more we talked, the more we kept coming back to the same thing: people remember MB because of how she treated them."
"More than anything, MB invested in people. She invested in me, and she invested in countless coaches, administrators, and student-athletes throughout Division III. This internship exists to help develop the next generation of leaders in collegiate athletics, and there is no one whose name belongs on that mission more than Mary Beth Spirk."
The Landmark Conference internship program has become one of the conference's most impactful professional development initiatives, providing aspiring athletics administrators with hands-on experience in conference operations, communications, championship administration, governance, and leadership development.
Conference leaders felt the internship program reflected the values that defined Spirk's career: mentorship, opportunity, leadership, and a commitment to helping others reach their potential.
"Mary Beth Spirk was the kind of person who left a mark on every student she encountered — not because she was trying to, but because she genuinely cared. I knew her first as a student and again as her president, and she was exactly the same person both times: warm, demanding in the best way, and completely committed to the people around her," stated Moravian University President Bryon Grigsby. "Naming this internship in her honor is exactly right. It doesn't just memorialize her — it extends her work. Every student who carries the Mary Beth Spirk name into a Landmark Conference internship will be shaped by her legacy."
Fittingly, former Moravian University softball student-athlete and 2025-26 Landmark Conference intern Ajala Elmore will become the first Mary Beth Spirk Intern, linking the program's future directly to the institution and community MB served for more than four decades.
"Being named the first Mary Beth Spirk Intern is a tremendous honor," said Elmore. "Mary Beth was someone I looked up to throughout my time as a student-athlete and as I began my professional career. She was a mentor, a friend, and one of the first people who encouraged me to pursue a future in athletics. Naming this internship after her feels especially meaningful because helping others succeed was at the heart of who she was. She loved the Landmark Conference and spent her career creating opportunities for others. I'm grateful for the impact she had on my life and proud to help carry forward her legacy."
Spirk arrived at Moravian University in 1981 and spent the next 45 years serving the institution in numerous capacities, including head women's basketball coach, director of athletics and recreation, senior woman administrator, professor, and mentor. Her influence on Moravian, the Landmark Conference, and Division III athletics will continue to be felt for generations.
More than an award or annual recognition, the Mary Beth Spirk Internship will serve as a living tribute to her legacy. Each future recipient will carry forward her name and the values she championed throughout her career.