Hartwell, who passed away in 2014, will be posthumously inducted to the ECC Hall of Fame for his leadership of the Adelphi University athletic department. In 1986, Hartwell was named the athletic director at Adelphi and was eventually promoted to Assistant Vice President in 2009. Under his direction, the department and its programs transformed, enjoying tremendous success on the conference, regional and national levels. Under his guidance, the Adelphi Panthers garnered eight NCAA National Championships, 10 NCAA Regional Championships, 33 conference postseason championships, 26 conference regular season championships, nearly 100 NCAA Championship appearances, and seven NYCAC/ECC Commissioner's Cups (98, 99, 01, 02, 03, 05, 08) during the Panthers time in the conference.

Hartwell's devotion to student-athletes, a commitment to ensuring that the NCAA Division II model of "A life in the balance" was followed, and his desire to teach each young man and woman to become a well-rounded person are values every Panther took upon graduating from Adelphi. In fact, the graduation rate of student-athletes was over 90 percent during his time in Garden City. In his honor, in 2012, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee created the Hartwell Cup, an award that honors the best overall athletic program based on athletic success, classroom performance, and community service.

An ardent supporter of opportunities for women in athletics, he added four women's programs, starting with volleyball in 1992, women's lacrosse in 2001, women's bowling in 2006, and resurrected the field hockey program in 2008 after a 25-year hiatus.

The revival of Adelphi's Athletic Hall of Fame was also due to Hartwell's efforts. In 1991, after 10 years without any inductees, the first class of the new era was ceremonially welcomed. Since that time, the annual Hall of Fame dinner has been a focal point for celebrating the successes of former student-athletes, coaches, and administrators, and has grown to be sponsored by the Panther Club, the fund and friendraising arm of the Athletic Department, which he initiated in 1993.

Hartwell also played a central role in the upgrade of every athletic facility on Adelphi's campus. On his watch, the University  upgraded baseball's William J. Bonomo Memorial Field in 2007, transformed historic Woodruff hall, designed and constructed the Center for Recreation and Sports and Motamed Field (formerly known as Stiles Field), the practice field and tennis courts in 2008, and most recently, the new Janet L. Ficke Softball Field, which was completed in 2011.

One of Mr. Hartwell's proudest accomplishments is the "Cans for Cancer" program in which Adelphi has participated over a decade. This program has been a department-wide initiative that was started in 2003 and generated over $50,000 toward Winthrop University Medical Center's Cancer Center for Kids, through the collection of redeemable cans on campus by Adelphi student-athletes.

ECC Commissioner, Dr. Robert Dranoff, who was an Athletic Director at fellow NYCAC member, Dowling College, during Hartwell's tenure said the following about his induction, "Bob served as a mentor and friend to many coaches, fellow administrators, and student-athletes across the conference and helped guide the conference as an active committee member and officer for several years. His reputation as a man of integrity, a leader, and educator in the world of athletics continues to this day."

* - Portions of Bob Hartwell bio courtesy of Adelphi University Athletic Department.