June 9, 2008

DALLAS, TEXAS - Metro State Athletic Director Joan McDermott was named the AstroTurf Athletic Director of the Year for Division II's West Region by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the organization announced Monday.

McDermott, who is in her 10th year as the athletic director at Metro State, is one of 29 winners of the award selected from four regions (Northeast, Southeast, Central and West) and seven categories (Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and Junior/Community Colleges).

McDermott leads a 17-sport program at Metro State, which has won four national championships in two sports under her leadership (men's basketball, 2000 and 2002 and women's soccer, 2004 and 2006).

NACDA executive director Mike Cleary explains that the award is essential because it highlights the efforts of athletic directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to campuses and their surrounding communities.

"Our Honors and Awards Committee recognized a need for an award such as the AD of the Year," said Cleary. "The program brings to light the exceptional jobs done by athletic directors across the country. These 29 winners exemplify that, providing us with a group of outstanding athletic directors who excel at their jobs."

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 athletic director 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 athletic director's institution must have passed a compliance check through its appropriate governing body, 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.

McDermott and the other winners will receive their awards this week at the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon during NACDA's 43rd Annual Convention at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

For more information about NACDA, please log on to www.nacda.com.

NACDA AstroTurf Athletic Director of the Year Winners - Division II
Joan McDermott, Metropolitan State College of Denver - West
Theresa A. Check, Central State University - Northeast
Rob Fournier, Wayne State University - Central
Larry Marfise, Tampa - Southeast