Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series

From environmental activists and bestselling book authors to Olympic athletes and Governor Generals, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series is an intellectual beacon to the Ridley community.

Ridley College has welcomed illustrious individuals from an array of disciplines as a part of the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series, including environmental activist David Suzuki, Governor General Michaëlle Jean, and Olympian Jason Dorland ’83, to name a few. Our accomplished speakers delve into their journeys, challenges and triumphs, offering lessons for attendees to glean.

By inviting luminaries from diverse fields to share their insights and expertise, the engaging speaker series fosters thought-provoking discussions that enrich the minds of both students and faculty. Beyond its role as a platform for intellectual discourse, the speaker series is integral in nurturing critical thinking, empathy and understanding.

As our community unites to listen, question and engage with our speakers, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series continues to uphold its legacy of inspiring flourishing lives and shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

2026/27 Schedule

Jack Armstrong

Tuesday, October 8th, 2026

Mandeville Theatre

Jack Armstrong is a legendary television analyst for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. He is also a decorated collegiate basketball coach. 

Biography

Jack Armstrong enters his 28th season with the Raptors organization and will serve as the analyst on all TSN games. He previously worked as a radio and television analyst for the Raptors, following a successful 14-year collegiate coaching career.

In addition to his duties with the Raptors, Armstrong is a studio analyst at TSN for the NCAA Tournament, NBA Finals and NBA Draft; and a television analyst for NCAA basketball on CBS Sports Network, Comcast, Empire Sports Network, Fox Sports, MASN TV and New York/MSG while also working with ESPN’s regional coverage and the Atlantic 10 Conference TV Network. His commentary also extended to the WNBA, where he worked for MSG on New York Liberty telecasts for two seasons. Armstrong hosted the popular radio show ‘The Game Plan’ on Sportsnet 590 the Fan (2008–10) and served as the television analyst for the 2002 FIBA Men’s World Basketball Championship.

Armstrong has received many accolades during his broadcasting career. He has been nominated by the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Sports Analyst in a Sports Program or Series four times (2017-20), winning on three occasions (2017-19). Armstrong’s 2017 award marked the first time a basketball analyst received this prestigious honour. He was also nominated for an Emmy for his work on Liberty telecasts on MSG TV Network during the 2002 season.

In 2022, Armstrong released his Holiday Album "Hello & Happy Holidays" and sang at a Holiday Concert at the historic Danforth Music Hall. Proceeds from the concert and album sales helped to raise money for MLSE Foundation and Special Olympics Canada.

In the college circuit, Armstrong spent four years as an assistant basketball coach at Fordham University. He moved to Niagara University and served as an assistant coach for one season before being named head basketball coach of the Purple Eagles while also serving as assistant athletic director. His nine years as head coach were the third longest in school history, and his 100 career wins rank fourth on the school’s all-time chart. Armstrong had his most successful season in 1992-93 when he led the Purple Eagles to a 23-7 record and a spot in the National Invitational Tournament. The accomplishments earned him Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and New York State Division I Coach of the Year awards. Despite his success on the court, Armstrong is still most proud of his 100 per cent player graduation rate during his stint as head coach.

He earned both a master’s degree in public communications and a bachelor’s degree in history from Fordham University. Jack and his wife, Dena, have three children, Kevin, Brian, and Timothy, and a daughter-in-law, Alyssa. He is an avid runner and has completed the New York, Chicago and Boston marathons. A proud Irishman, Armstrong was honoured as the Grand Marshal of the 2023 Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Past Speakers

Explore a selection of our diverse and inspiring speakers from past years of the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series. 

About Crawford Gordon ’56

Thanks to the vision and generosity of the late Crawford Gordon ’56, former Chair of the Ridley College Board of Governors, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series was launched in 2004. 

20 years later, the speaker series continues to attract world-class thought leaders, changemakers, artists and athletes, providing our students the opportunity to engage with big ideas outside their classrooms. By inviting luminaries from diverse fields to share their insights and expertise, this engaging series fosters thought-provoking discussions that enrich the minds of both students and faculty. Beyond its role as a platform for intellectual discourse, the speaker series also has an impact in nurturing critical thinking, empathy and understanding in generations of students at Ridley. 

Ridley College is forever grateful to the late Crawford Gordon ’56 and his surviving family — his wife Eve Gordon and children Crawford Jr. ’03, Chloe ’05 and Parris ’08.