President Lovell Passes Away

[Sir Lawrence]

Horrible news.  Horrible disease.  Such a high character guy.  May he rest in peace.  Prayers that he had a gentle journey.  Goose, as your father said, "too soon the sun sets in the west."

[Billy Hoyle]

I never had the honor of meeting President Lovell but deeply appreciate what he did for our alma mater and the love he showed for it. MU is in a better place thanks to him. On a personal level, we followed each other on Peloton, and we often took many of the same rides as we apparently have similar tastes in music and instructors. He was HARD to beat on the leaderboard!

May his family be comforted by His light and given His peace during this difficult time.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm heartbroken over this.  He was an incredible leader and genuine human being. I feel for his family

[Goose]

Sir

This really is sad news and my Dad's words hold true with this loss.

[mu_eyeballs]

Heartbreaking I talked to him for a few minutes in Hawaii at the MU service project.  We talked about his Cancer and my dad and father-in-law who both had died of cancer over the past few years.  He was kind and caring. The fact that he was at the service project was pretty impressive.  He was a great leader for the University and he will be missed.

[dgies9156]

He was a leader and a follower of Jesus in the best traditions of our shared faith.

Prayers for his family. I'm sure this has been a really tough moment for them.

[JustinLewisFanClubPres]

Terrible news. He was a great leader for the university and, by all accounts, a good man. MU is better and stronger thanks to Dr. Lovell. Prayers and condolences to his family.

[Shooter McGavin]

Damn!  What a loss.  Prayers for his family. Will be hard to replace.  MU has big big decisions coming up.

[GoFastAndWin]

Most nights at 10pm, when the wind is out of the NE, from my rented place in Green Oaks, IL, I can clearly hear the playing of Taps from the nearby Naval Station Great Lakes. For some reason, tonight, without yet hearing the news of Dr Lovell's passing, as taps began to play, I just felt something different hit me. I couldn't even complete the task of folding laundry, and started to get just a little emotional at all the people I've lost in my life in the last few years. I thought about how taps is rightly played to make us pause and reflect at the profound sacrifice of so many lives. Dr Lovell was the kind of guy who served his school and his community with everything he had, despite the health Goliath he faced every single day. I am just stunned and saddened right now, and I pray for his family.

[Hallmarq]

Very sorry to hear this.

But also, this is the best of Scoop, everyone coming together.

[GoldenEagles03]

This is really sad.

I didn't go to Marquette, nor did I ever meet Dr. Lovell, but you can tell good people apart from just people...and he was a special person.

Enjoyed seeing him involved with athletics and how the student athletes gravitated towards him and appreciated him. Enjoyed seeing him represent Marquette courtside at MSG over the past few fun seasons at the Big East Tournament.

May he Rest in Peace.

[cheebs09]

Really sad news for both Marquette and the Milwaukee community. Also, as the first Lay Leader, I'm sure there was some added pressure on him. It sounds like things were really hitting their stride and MU is well positioned in the changing landscape.

I saw him only a few weeks ago at a 5K. Tough to believe he passed so soon after as he looked good. Prayers for his family as they navigate this.

[MUfan12]

Val Ackerman's statement:

"The BIG EAST was devastated to learn of the passing yesterday of Marquette President Dr. Mike Lovell, who was traveling in Rome as part of a Jesuit pilgrimage.  As many of us knew, Mike had waged a brave, years-long fight against sarcoma, and through it all he remained a vibrant, selfless and compassionate leader who approached life with vigor and optimism, inspiring us all.   He cared deeply about the success of his students, for whom he sought to provide an unparalleled educational experience, and his support for athletics as a way to develop young people and strengthen community bonds was second to none.  Mike was also a well-liked and respected figure in our meeting rooms, serving over the years on our Audit & Finance, New Business Initiatives and Executive Committees, and he could always be counted on to offer thoughtful, practical and values-driven counsel no matter the topic.

Mike was at all turns guided by his faith and an unwavering moral compass, and we will always remember him for his courage, energy and determination to make any situation better than the way he found it.  We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife Amy, his family and the entire Marquette community during this exceedingly painful time.   He will be very deeply missed."

[Goose]

GoFast

Your post made me get a bit emotional about loved ones lost. My youngest son is getting married in two weeks and I have been thinking about lost loved ones for the past few weeks. Life is fragile and needs to be lived every day. Someone sent a PM on FB telling me those very words:)

[The Sultan]

I wonder what they are going to do with the AD position now. Continue the search? Ask Scholl to stay for another year?

[warriorchick]

I wonder what they are going to do with the AD position now. Continue the search? Ask Scholl to stay for another year?

Really?  That's what you are thinking about?

[The Sultan]

Really?  That's what you are thinking about?

Yes actually. How the University is going to function moving forward is something I am thinking about.

[warriorchick]

Yes actually. How the University is going to function moving forward is something I am thinking about.

Of all the things affected by Dr. Lovell's passing, Athletic Department is probably far down the list of the Board of Trustee's concerns right now.  It has to be addressed, but it can probably wait until, you know, after the funeral.

[lawdog77]

Of all the things affected by Dr. Lovell's passing, Athletic Department is probably far down the list of the Board of Trustee's concerns right now.  It has to be addressed, but it can probably wait until, you know, after the funeral.

To be fair to Sultan,I don't  think he is related to Dr. Lovell.

[JakeBarnes]

What an incredible loss--not just for the university, but the world. This one hurts quite a bit. I didn't cross paths often with Dr. Lovell, but when I did get to chat with him, he always had a presence that made you feel like your conversation was his singular focus at that time. Gonna miss those genuine conversations (about life and basketball, mainly) in places like the waiting chute at a triathlon we both were participating in.

He was a great leader and will be sorely missed.

[mikekinsellaMVP]

A magical moment in a magical season, and Shaka drops this on us:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/IchUJNAAWPA?si=5ZVc-GESt_1SRWKs&start=2397

I immediately thought of it when I got the email yesterday.  Dr. Lovell was one of one.

[The Sultan]

Of all the things affected by Dr. Lovell's passing, Athletic Department is probably far down the list of the Board of Trustee's concerns right now.  It has to be addressed, but it can probably wait until, you know, after the funeral.

Of course.  But that makes it out of bounds to think about?

[MUfan12]

A magical moment in a magical season, and Shaka drops this on us:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/IchUJNAAWPA?si=5ZVc-GESt_1SRWKs&start=2397

I immediately thought of it when I got the email yesterday.  Dr. Lovell was one of one.

This popped into my mind-

"Marquette was, in many ways, a grander version of what he had at VCU. The school president, Dr. Michael Lovell, is a cancer survivor and someone who feverishly supports MU's ambitious athletic endeavors.

On Thursday, as Marquette found itself in a banger against eighth-seeded St. John's in the Big East quarterfinals, Lovell could be seen slapping the floor alongside Marquette athletic director Bill Scholl. Two gray-haired men as emotionally as invested in a win or a loss as the guys in uniform.

That's why Shaka came to Marquette."

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/a-perfect-pairing-how-shaka-smart-quickly-changed-the-trajectory-of-marquette-and-the-big-east/

[Scoop Snoop]

Of course.  But that makes it out of bounds to think about?

Think about it and keep those thoughts to yourself? Sure.

I agree with warriorchick here. Your post hit me the same way.

[Lennys Tap]

Think about it and keep those thoughts to yourself? Sure.

I agree with warriorchick here. Your post hit me the same way.

Sultan was the very first Scooper to express his genuine sadness at President Lovell's passing. There nothing wrong with also thinking about what comes next when a great leader has been lost.