Longtime NCAA executive Lou Spry dies at 78

BREAUX BRIDGE, La. (AP) - Lou Spry, a longtime NCAA executive and the official scorer at the College World Series for more than three decades, died Tuesday at his Louisiana home. He was 78.

Spry had been in declining health for several years and had been under hospice care for several weeks, his wife Marilyn said. Plans for a memorial service have not been announced.

Spry joined the NCAA in 1966 to work on its publications, and later became director of research and publishing. He served in a variety of roles with the national governing body, rising to associate executive director in charge of financial affairs. He retired in 1999.

Even then, the Nebraska native remained a fixture at the College World Series in Omaha. In 2010, he was honored with the Wilbur Snypp Award, presented annually by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for outstanding contributions to college baseball.