Athletic Directors from Stony Brook, Liberty, North Dakota State and Montana State are among those honored.

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced the 29 winners of the Under Armour AD of the Year Award (ADOY) today.

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There are four geographic regions - northeast, southeast, central and west; while the membership is separated into seven categories - Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A); Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA); Division I (formerly Division I-AAA); Division II; Division III; NAIA; and Junior/Community Colleges, along with one International winner. One winner was selected in each of the eight categories, for a total of 29 honorees. Winners will receive their awards during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, June 27 at NACDA’s 47th Annual Convention at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

NACDA Executive Director Bob Vecchione explains the ADOY Award is essential because it highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to campuses and their surrounding communities.

“Before its inception, our Honors and Awards Committee recognized a need for an award such as the AD of the Year,” said Vecchione, who is finishing his first year at the helm of NACDA. “The program brings to light the remarkable jobs done by athletics directors across the country. These 29 outstanding winners epitomize that, providing us with a group of exemplary athletics directors who excel on campus and in their communities.”

Winners of the 2011-12 Under Armour AD of the Year Awards for the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision are:

Winner Institution Region
Jim Fiore Stony Brook University Northeast
Jeff Barber Liberty University Southeast
Gene Taylor North Dakota State University Central
Peter Fields Montana State University West

All NACDA-member directors of athletics in the United States, Canada and Mexico who met the criteria were eligible for the award. Among the criteria were service as an AD for a minimum of five academic years; demonstration of commitment to higher education and student-athletes; continuous teamwork, loyalty and excellence; and the ability to inspire individuals or groups to high levels of accomplishments. Additionally, each AD’s institution must have passed a compliance check through its appropriate governing body (i.e., NCAA, NAIA, etc.), in which the institution could not have been on probation or cited for a lack of institutional control within the last five years during the tenure of the current athletics director.

Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents and conference commissioners. Special Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, present and past NCAA and NAIA presidents, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award. A complete listing of Selection Committee members can be found on NACDA’s Web site at www.nacda.com.

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About NACDA: NACDA, now in its 47th year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,200 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, NACDA administers 12 professional associations, including six for the separate business units that report directly to the athletics directors and two foundations. For more information on NACDA, visit www.nacda.com.

By The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Media Relations
http://www.nacda.com/sports/convention/spec-rel/062512aab.html