Northern Essex Community College Athletics

Dan Blair is in his ninth year as Director of Athletics at Northern Essex Community College during the 2025-26 year. He officially joined Northern Essex Community College in September 2017 and in addition to his duties at the college, Blair also serves as the Region 21 Men's Director and as a District 1 Representative for NATYCAA. 

The 2024-25 year was another record setting year for the Knights athletic program under Blair, as Northern Essex recorded the programs third straight top 30 finish and first ever top 20 finish in the NATYCAA Ron Case Cup presented by Daktronics standings finishing 18th overall by virtue of four teams placing in their respective national tournaments with baseball and men's soccer both finishing seventh, men's basketball ninth and women's track and field 20th.

Named a 2021-22 NACDA Cushman & Wakefield Athletic Director of the Year, Blair oversaw one of the most successful years in the program’s history. The Knights athletic program continues its rise among community college athletic prgorams in the northeast. After leading the athletic program through the COVID-19 pandemic as one of only two Region 21 schools to fully operate their program, the Knights have captured nine NJCAA District Championships and 10 Region 21 Championships since 2022 in four different sports. Additionally, the men’s basketball, baseball, men's soccer and women's volleyball teams all established new program records for wins in a season and consecutive wins.

In his first year, the Knights saw significant success and growth across all areas of the program. The volleyball and baseball teams captured Region XXI Championships, with baseball going onto win the District F Championship and advanced to the College World Series in Greeneville, TN. The department increased its revenues by more than 150%, which included the inaugural fundraising golf tournament for the athletic program. Additionally, the college announced the return of the intercollegiate golf program for the 2018-19 academic year which had previously been dormant for almost 20 years.

In 2018-19, the volleyball team captured a second consecutive Region XXI Championship and the men's cross country team competed at the national championships finishing 22nd overall. Individually, four members of the track and field team competed at the national championship meet, while the golf program saw two individuals earn qualifying spots in the national tournament in the programs first year back at the varsity level since 2000. The college inducted its first Hall of Fame class in February 2019, redesigned the fitness center over the course of the fall semester, and announced further expansion of the program for the 2019-20 year with the return of the men's soccer and women's basketball programs, along with the addition of Esports.

Blair came to Northern Essex after spending 10 years at NCAA Division II Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. During his tenure there, he was the university's first NCAA Compliance Coordinator, before being named Assistant Athletic Director and then Associate Athletic Director and spent his final two and half years in Rindge overseeing all day to day operations of the Ravens 25 sport athletic program.

During his time at Franklin Pierce, Blair served on numerous committees on campus as well as at the regional and national level. He served five years as a member of the NCAA Division II Men's Lacrosse Championship Committee, including three years as the national committee chairperson. He also spent seven years serving as Franklin Pierce's representative on the Northeast-10 Conference Committee for Sports Administration. 

Blair currently resides in Newburyport, MA with his wife, Amy, and daughters, Kenzie and Kennedy and dog Oakley. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Bridgewater State University and added a master's degree in athletic facility management from Franklin Pierce University. Outside of NECC, Blair also serves as the President of the Newburyport Youth Soccer Association.