UPDATED 1/4/22: CELEBRATION OF LIFE INFORMATION
SAN DIEGO - Dr. Carroll B. Land, a legend at Pasadena College/Point Loma Nazarene University passed away Monday, December 27^th, 2021 at the age of 87.

Land has been connected to the university since enrolling as a freshman at Pasadena College in 1953.

A year and a half later he married his sweetheart, Barbara, a fellow student. Trying to make ends meet, Land left school and went to work.

In 1957, he joined the Marines. After a two-year stint in the Corps, he returned to Pasadena College. This time he stayed for good.

Land was an outstanding baseball player and earned two team MVP awards at Pasadena. He played at Pasadena for three seasons and served as the head coach during his final year as a player.

This began his career in athletics. Land earned his Master's degree from USC in 1962 and became a full-time member of the Pasadena athletic staff. Over the next few years he coached baseball, freshman basketball and cross country. He also served as the school's sports information director and taught in the kinesiology department. Over the years he would teach every course in the kinesiology curriculum.

He was appointed chair of the PE department in 1965 and became Pasadena's athletic director in 1967. From that point on, until his retirement as baseball coach in 1999, Land served as athletic director, PE department chair and baseball head coach.

"My plan was to get a degree," Land said. "I thought about getting a teaching credential and then to teach and coach in high school. Getting both jobs was a surprise. In each case, it was kind of at the right place at the right time. There was a need at the school and they recognized that I had some ability and a commitment.

I worked in Sports Information; I helped clean the tennis courts; I had taken big loads in school; I helped with the team. Everything I did, I did uncompromisingly. I was five or six years older than the other players, so I was asked to go ahead and coach the baseball team. I had been on the staff seven years; I had my master's degree and had served a couple of years as chair of the PE department when the athletic director vacancy came up suddenly. The President (W.S. Brown) asked if I would be interested in the job."

When he wasn't working - which was hardly ever - he spent his time earning a PhD from USC and raising two children, Brian and Cheree, with Barbara.

If there wasn't enough on Land's plate, he served as NAIA District 3 Chair, was president of the NAIA and was a member of the 1984 Olympic Committee.

An overwhelming amount of work under normal circumstances, Land never worked under normal circumstances. In 1973, Pasadena College packed up and moved to its present location in San Diego. Land's duties now included the transition from Pasadena to San Diego. Scheduling issues, fundraising and purchasing of buses and moving the entire department was only the beginning.

In 1973, the present site of Point Loma Nazarene University had a gym, a beat up baseball field and an even more beat up track. Land, a skilled carpenter, put every coach and athletic department administrator to work. In those days a person probably had a better chance of getting hired if they had a construction background.

"I was not one who felt the 'world was coming to an end', said Land. "I thought the world was opening up. Many had a hard time leaving Pasadena, mainly teachers.  But the athletic department didn't have any decent facilities so I thought coming to San Diego, with a real gymnasium, a track/ football field - which we converted to soccer and a baseball field - was a huge improvement. We went from almost nothing to something. I believed the move would make us be a better, stronger athletic program."

Slowly, despite limited funding, the facilities were upgraded. Much of the improvements were with material that Land and his crew salvaged and recycled from Pasadena's athletic facilities. Over time, the baseball diamond was transformed into the gem it is today; pathways, retaining walls, fences, seating for fans, decks, scoreboards, restrooms and concession stands were built; tennis courts were installed; a soccer field was added; the track drastically enhanced and a softball field was built.

Improvements were made to the gym that allowed the facility to be used for PE classes, intramural events and for many years, chapel. In 2002, thanks in part to Land's relentless fundraising, the university added a state -of-the-art athletic training clinic, one of the best in the NAIA.

Still that's not all he had to face as athletic director. Title IX was passed by Congress in 1972. By the late 70's colleges around the country - including Point Loma - now had to have a balance of men's and women's athletic teams.

Up until 1977, women's sports at Pasadena/ Point Loma came and then went. Philosophically, Dr. Land wholeheartedly supported Title IX. He was now given the green light from the college and immediately went to work. In just one year, Point Loma went from zero to sponsoring eight women's squads: field hockey, badminton, volleyball, basketball, softball, track & field, tennis and cross country.

Not only was Point Loma going full speed ahead with the implementation of Title IX, as a member of the NAIA's executive committee, Land pushed for national recognition of women's sports. Through his efforts and others, the NAIA would sponsor national championships for women a year before the NCAA did.

Since then, not only has the university maintained a high level of competition among its men's teams, Point Loma claims one of the best women's programs in the country. Under Land's direction, all seven women's teams were ranked in the NAIA top-25 and many in the top-10. Hundreds of women have earned All-Americans status over the years and the university can boast about its Conference, Regional and National Players of the Year.   

Building facilities, working as Kinesiology chair, teaching every class offered, moving the athletic department, funding and guiding women's sports, coaching his baseball team to over 750 wins, 16 postseason appearances and two World Series berths are only the tip of the iceberg of Land's service to this university. He has been recognized with induction into the Hall of Fame's for the NAIA, the American Baseball Coaches Association and his alma mater.

Even after his retirement, Land continued to serve PLNU for several years in various roles and he and Barbara remained mainstays in the stands cheering on all of PLNU's teams and student-athletes. Land also stayed active helping to raise funds for PLNU Athletics and as a source of support and assistance to the entire athletic department.

"I am personally thankful for Coach Land's leadership and mentorship for so many years." Point Loma Athletic Director Ethan Hamilton said. "Carroll's name is synonymous with Pasadena/Point Loma athletics. He has been the foundation for everything we have built and accomplished. Even of more lasting impact is his love and care for developing student-athletes both on and off the courts, fields and courses of athletic competition. The number of lives touched by Coach is innumerable."

Land had a passion for the many jobs he held at Point Loma Nazarene University. He had a passion for what the university stands for and a passion for the success of the thousands of athletes and students he came in contact with. 'Coach Land', as he is known to most, served as an inspiration to generations of athletes, students and coaches. His mentorship and general interest in all members of the Point Loma community helped guide many who had contact with him to success in sports and in life.

There was no one as dedicated to Point Loma athletics like Coach Carroll Land. But that's not the way he saw it. Land believed working in higher education at a Christian institution was a calling and a blessing.

"I think the everyday world is mainly consumed with making financial gains," Land said. "But the scripture says, 'He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.' In a sense, that's a commandment of how we are to live. To work at a place that has that as a tenant was a very rewarding experience."

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DR. CARROLL B. LAND
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
 
You are invited to join the Land/Adey family
for a memorial honoring the life of Carroll Land

Saturday, January 29, 1pm
San Diego First Church of the Nazarene
Brown Worship Center
3901 Lomaland Drive, 92106

The service will be indoors, masked, and socially-distanced.
Due to the pandemic we would like you to RSVP to:
church@sdfcnaz.com
 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the following:
* Carroll B. Land and Barbara Land Endowed Athletic Scholarship and/or
* Carroll B. Land Endowed Baseball Field Fund.

Contribution Gifts may be sent to -
Attention: University Advancement
Point Loma Nazarene University
3900 Lomaland Dr.
San Diego, CA. 92106 

Contributions can also be made online at
https://www.point loma.edu/give/how-give 

Please remember the Land / Adey family in prayer during this time of loss.