Alfred University Athletics

Lester is the second Saxon alumni to be bestowed with the Silver Saxon award. This award, created in 2018, honors student-athletes from early eras (before 1979) at Alfred University for outstanding athletic achievement, but may lack statistical information that puts nominees at a significant disadvantage when assessing them against contemporary student-athletes.

Lester was a four-year letter-winner of the AU football team from 1973-76 under legendary coach Alex Yunevich, anchoring the team’s stout defensive line. Lester was named team captain and MVP of the 1976 season in what was the final season of Yunevich’s coaching tenure. The 1976 team was strong defensively, allowing just 26 points in ICAC conference action, en route to a 3-0-1 record against conference foes. Lester proved to be a big-time play-maker, recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the conference finale against RIT, helping to seal a conference title in a 37-15 victory on Merrill Field. Lester’s teams went 22-10-2 in his four years at AU.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in 1977, Lester stayed at AU to earn his master’s degree, serving as a graduate assistant on the football staff for the ‘77 and ‘78 seasons while also serving as a Resident Hall Director on campus. He earned his master’s degree in education from AU in 1979 and returned to coach the defensive line in the ‘84 and ‘85 seasons.

Lester worked for 15 years at Alfred State College as the Director of Facilities and Physical Plant Operations. In 1995 he headed to Atlanta, working at Georgia State University as the Associate Director of Housing, eventually earning a promotion to Associate Director. While in Atlanta, Lester had the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Gold Zone, part of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. He currently works at Clark-Atlanta University as the Manager of Maintenance HVAC Lockshop Operations. Lester is married to his wife, Collier, and has five children and four grandchildren.