Coach Durham recipient of the Mary Maloney Distinguished Service Award

NORTH EAST, Md: While Ed Durham is best known for his success as a coach on the athletic field, it is his work behind the scenes that has had the greatest impact on the lives of the student-athletes who have passed through the doors of Cecil College. Hundreds, if not thousands, of lives have been changed because of crossing paths with Coach Durham.

In recognition of his service and the countless lives he has influenced, Durham has been named the 2026 recipient of the Mary A. Maloney Distinguished Service Award.

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The Mary A. Maloney Distinguished Service Award is presented annually by the Cecil College Foundation to individuals dedicated to public service. The award is named in honor of Mary Maloney, who became Maryland’s first female county commissioner in 1970.

During her time in office, Maloney established the Cecil County Department of Public Works, helped ensure the proper implementation of the county’s planning department, and actively participated in the Maryland Association of Counties. In addition to serving on the Cecil College Board of Trustees for 24 years, she also served on numerous committees, councils, and boards throughout the county.

“What Mary Maloney did for this community, this county, and this college was truly unmatched. Even up until her passing, she remained a pillar of the community. It is only fitting that this award bears her name, as her deeds and accomplishments will continue to benefit generations to come,” said Coach Durham, who has often said he bleeds green and gold. “To be recognized in this way is pretty special.”

Like many high school seniors in 1980, Ed Durham was uncertain of his future. That is, until one day when Cecil College baseball coach Dick Brockell was sitting at his family’s kitchen table. Durham was an exceptional athlete in high school but had little time outside of working on the family farm in Middletown, DE.

“I didn’t know who he was other than the fact that he knew my dad and said the two of them played baseball together. He starts talking to me about coming to Cecil Community College, as it was known back then, to play for him.”

Durham would go on to be a two-sport student-athlete at Cecil College for the 1981-1983 seasons. He found success on the baseball diamond and transferred to Wilmington University to play the following two seasons but left school before completing his bachelor’s degree.

“I went out into the working world like so many people. I was working a job that paid my bills, but I wasn’t necessarily happy with the direction my life was going,” said Durham. He returned to complete his bachelor’s degree, then continued for his master’s degree.

For the second time, opportunity came knocking in 1995, when Coach Brockell reached out to Durham about the men’s basketball head coach position. Durham turned down the offer but suggested his wife’s childhood friend, Bill Lewit, for the job. Lewit, who was looking to get into collegiate-level coaching, jumped at the chance with the contingency of Durham being hired as his assistant.

“When we were hired, Bill and I talked about how we wanted to make sure the athletes were going to class and doing the right things. We wanted our players to be as successful off the court as they were on the court. We reached out to the faculty and over time, they saw what we were doing through building relationships and communication,” said Coach Durham.

Several faculty members have stepped forward to serve as mentors to many young men and women in the athletic programs. The faculty have recognized what Coach Durham has worked to accomplish over the past 30 years in holding the student-athletes accountable. Coach Durham says the faculty are at the point where they will call the coaching staff to let them know if someone needs extra help, is missing assignments, or is being tardy to class. His staff works to maintain an open dialogue by acting on the faculty member’s concerns.

“I love the fact that if faculty have a student-athlete in their class that they are concerned about, they will reach out to me. It is about working together as a team to help these kids be successful.”

Coach Durham was eventually hired as Cecil College’s Athletic Director in 2005 and has worked diligently to ensure these relationships remain strong. On the athletic side of the field, he has stepped in to coach the men’s soccer program for six games when there was an urgent need for a coach. He did the same on the softball diamond as an emergency fill-in, which turned into five years of leading the team to great success.

“I had a great time doing it and working with the athletes. It gives you the opportunity to learn about the athletes in the different programs. You get to learn how great these individuals are and have a deeper appreciation for their dreams.”

Coach Durham was a member of Cecil College’s 2005-2006 NJCAA Division 2 National Championship men’s basketball team and has been the head coach of the men’s basketball program for the past 9 seasons. He stepped down in September 2025.

During his tenure as head coach, the Seahawks captured three Region 20 Division 2 championships and led Cecil College to three NJCAA Division 2 National Tournament appearances, headlined by a third-place finish in the 2018-2019 season. For the 2021-2022 season, Coach Durham was named Mid-Atlantic Region 20 Coach of the Year for leading the Seahawks to a 26-2 regular-season record, Region 20 Division 2 Championship, and Elite Eight appearance in the NJCAA Division 2 Men’s Basketball National Championship. The 2024-2025 campaign marked Coach Durham’s sixth 20-win season at Cecil College. He finished his career with 177 wins.

Under his guidance, several players have gone on to play professional basketball, including Khalid Gates and Jacob Falko. Many of his players have gone on to compete at the NCAA level, and Coach Durham is diligent about maintaining relationships with former athletes long after they have left Cecil College.

Each junior college student-athlete has a different story. Some followed paths one might expect, while others took their own unique routes. Every student-athlete has different priorities, goals, and challenges, but what stands out is their shared understanding of paying it forward.

“It is inspiring to see how the opportunity they found at Cecil College helped move them forward in life. Many will tell you they experienced things they never would have imagined possible if not for their time here. Their success is a reminder that junior college athletics is about far more than competition; it is about growth, opportunity, and creating a foundation for lifelong success,” said Coach Durham.

In his role as athletic director, Coach Durham has been responsible for overseeing NJCAA Region 20’s lacrosse and softball programs. In 2013, he was named Region 20’s Assistant Regional Director, during which time he oversaw all the baseball programs. Since 2018, Coach Durham has been NJCAA’s Region 20 Men’s Director of Athletics, responsible for all the athletic programs, bylaws, tournaments, and championships.

For nearly three decades, Coach Durham has dedicated his spare time to organizing the Green and Gold Tournament at Cecil College, giving local high school athletes the chance to compete in a college atmosphere during the holiday season. The tournament has become a longstanding tradition in Cecil County, reflecting Durham’s commitment to creating opportunities for young athletes and their families to experience the excitement of playing on a collegiate stage.

For Durham, the victories and championships are only part of the story. His true legacy lies in the countless student-athletes whose lives were shaped by his guidance, encouragement, and unwavering belief in their potential. Whether mentoring players, building relationships across campus, stepping in wherever needed, or creating opportunities for young athletes throughout Cecil County, Durham has spent more than three decades investing in others. In presenting the 2026 Mary A. Maloney Distinguished Service Award, Cecil College is not only honoring a coach and administrator but also a servant leader whose impact will continue to be felt for generations to come.

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