HWS News
3 July 2025 • Alums • Athletics Honoring a Legend: Aliceann Wilber
Led by Chip Carver ’81 and Anne DeLaney, HWS announces fundraising effort to name head coach position in honor of Aliceann Wilber.
At this spring's annual gathering of William Smith soccer alumni, Hobart and William Smith President Mark D. Gearan announced a fundraising effort to name the William Smith Soccer Head Coach position in honor of legendary Heron Head Coach Aliceann Wilber, who recently retired after an extraordinary career.
The campaign was jumpstarted by a generous $500,000 lead gift from Trustee Calvin R. "Chip" Carver Jr. '81 and his wife, Anne DeLaney, bringing HWS halfway to the $1 million goal that will permanently endow the position in Wilber's name.
"The continued generosity and commitment of Chip and Anne to Hobart and William Smith are truly remarkable," says Gearan. "From scholarships and facilities to mental health initiatives, they have supported every facet of the student experience. Their latest gift is a tribute to the transformational power of athletics – and to a coach who has shaped generations of Herons."
A former Wall Street executive, Carver has served on the HWS Board of Trustees for 23 years, where he currently chairs the Financial Management Committee. The head coach of softball at Pingry School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Carver has volunteered as an assistant coach for the William Smith Soccer program for about a decade. He says he first got involved with the team "because I wanted to learn as much as I could about coaching from one of the best coaches in the United States — Aliceann Wilber. And I was not disappointed. I have become a better coach just as all of those that have had the privilege to interact with AA have become better players, students and people." He hopes the couple's leadership gift will motivate others.
"Equally inspiring to Chip and Anne," Gearan adds, "is the care, commitment and sustained excellence Aliceann demonstrated throughout her career, teaching life lessons through soccer while building one of the most successful and respected programs in the nation."
Wilber launched the William Smith Soccer program in 1980 and led the Herons through 44 seasons, amassing a record of 657-147-74, including an astonishing 40 consecutive winning seasons. No one in NCAA Division III women's soccer history has more coaching wins and only former North Carolina Head Coach Anson Dorrance has more wins at any level of NCAA women's soccer.
Under Wilber's leadership, the Herons made 34 NCAA tournament appearances, including an active streak of 17 consecutive bids. The Herons advanced to the national semifinals 12 times and played in the national championship match six times, capturing the 1988 and 2013 national championships.
Since the Liberty League's founding in 1995, William Smith has captured 19 conference titles under Wilber's leadership, including 15 of the past 17 seasons.
In the classroom, Wilber's Herons collected 20 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American awards, including two Scholar Players of the Year. Her student-athletes also account for 19 of HWS' 73 Academic All-Americans.
Wilber was inducted into the Heron Hall of Honor in 2002, the West Valley Central School Hall of Fame in 2014, the United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame in 2019 and the SUNY Brockport Hall of Fame in 2020.
Carver and DeLaney, a licensed clinical social worker, have been deeply engaged with the HWS community for more than 40 years. Their philanthropy has supported student wellness, the arts, sciences, technology, scholarships and athletics. In 2012, they established the Calvin R. Carver Lecture and Student Support Fund to bring to campus speakers focused on inclusivity, resilience, mental health and social justice, and to assist students facing health challenges.
Their support has also helped enhance athletic facilities, including the Carver-DeLaney Family Press Box at Cozzens Field (2017) and the Carver-DeLaney Suite for William Smith Soccer (2023).
Carver attended Pingry, where both he and DeLaney graduated. At Hobart, he played baseball and earned a bachelor's degree in economics. Upon completion of his MBA at the NYU Stern School of Business, Carver spent his career managing financial derivatives and leading e-commerce innovations at firms including Goldman Sachs, SwapsWire, Inc. and IHS Markit.
"This gift from Chip and Anne will have a great impact on the William Smith soccer program and our Heron student-athletes," says Brian Miller, associate vice president and director of athletics. "It's a fitting tribute to Aliceann for the deep and lasting impact she has had on Herons – as scholars, athletes and exceptional individuals."
The effort to name the William Smith Soccer Head Coach position is part of "Further Together: The Campaign for Our Third Century," a comprehensive fundraising initiative to enhance the HWS student experience. For more information, contact Director of Development for Athletics Morgan Ewert at (315) 781-3956 or by email or visit hws.edu/together.
In the above photograph, Mitch Wilber, Aliceann Wilber, Anne DeLaney and Chip Carver '81 gather for a photo.
