June 20, 2006

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University's Lynda Goodrich has been named the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics 2006 NCAA Division II West Athletics Director of the Year. She will receive the honor this week at the Association's 41st Annual Convention in New Orleans.

Goodrich, who is completing her 18th year as the leader of Western's 16-sport intercollegiate athletics program, has directed the Vikings to four Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-sports championships in the last five years.

The Western women's rowing team won its second straight NCAA II national championship on May 28 and the Vikings men's and women's basketball teams were both ranked among the top 10 nationally and reached their respective national tournaments, finishing with a combined record of 50-9.

Since its move to full membership in the NCAA II in 1998, Western has made trips to nationals in men's and women's basketball, men's cross country, women's rowing, football, men's and women's golf, softball and volleyball. Besides placing among the top three nationally in women's rowing the last four years, Western reached the national semifinals in both men's (2001) and women's (2000) basketball and has played host to a combined three regional tournaments over the past six years. Western has placed fifth nationally in women's golf in each of the last three seasons and finished ninth in men's golf in 2005.

Those accomplishments have been made while maintaining high academic standards. The 2005 NCAA Graduation Rates Report found that 79 percent of Western student-athletes receive their degrees in six years or fewer. That was 28 percentage points higher than the average for student-athletes in the 10-team Great Northwest Athletic Conference (51 percent), and 25 points higher than the national average for schools in NCAA II (54 percent).

Western ranked seventh nationally and was the only top 10-rated northwest school on a list of NCAA II institutions in the latest Collegiate Power Rankings announced by The National Collegiate Scouting Association. NCSA's power rankings are calculated for each school by averaging the U.S. News & World Report ranking, the U.S. Sports Academy Director's Cup rank and the student-athlete graduation rate of each school. The U.S. Sports Academy Director's Cup ranking evaluates the strengths of NCAA Athletic departments, while the U.S. News & World Report ranking recognizes institutions of academic excellence. The student-athlete graduation rates are based on those provided by the NCAA.

Western ranked 18th in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, 42nd in the final NCAA II Director's Cup ranking, and eighth in Division II student-athlete graduation rates.

New Orleans, Louisiana - The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced the 29 winners of the GeneralSports TURF Systems AD of the Year Award (ADOY) today

There are four geographic regions - northeast, southeast, central and west; while the membership is separated into seven categories - Division I-A; Division I-AA; Division I-AAA; Division II; Division III; NAIA; and Junior/Community Colleges. One winner was selected in each of the seven categories, along with a cross-divisional International winner for a total of 29 honorees. Winners will receive their awards during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon at NACDA's 41st Annual Convention at New Orleans Marriott and Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NACDA Executive Director Mike Cleary says 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.

"Our Honors and Awards Committee recognized a need for an award such as the AD of the Year," said Cleary, who oversaw implementation of the program to allow all NACDA Officers and Honors and Awards Committee members to participate in the awards process, should they be elected. "The program brings to light the exceptional jobs done by athletics directors across the country. These 29 winners exemplify that, providing us with a group of outstanding athletics directors who excel at their jobs."

Winners of the 2005-06 GeneralSports TURF Systems AD of the Year Award are:

Division I-A

Laing Kennedy,  Kent State University,  Northeast
Jim Livengood,  University of Arizona,  West
Terry Don Phillips,  Clemson University,  Southeast
Kevin White,  University of Notre Dame,  Central

Division I-AA

Paul Kowalczyk,  Southern Illinois University,  Central
Francis McLaughlin,  Fordham University,  Northeast
Steve Sloan,  University of Tennessee Chattanooga,  Southeast
Larry Teis,  Texas State University,  West

Division I-AAA

Joni Comstock,  American University,  Southeast
Lynn Hickey,  University of Texas San Antonio,  West
Cheryl Levick,  Saint Louis University,  Central
Pat Meiser-McKnett, University of Hartford,  Northeast

Division II

Bill Goldring,  Ashland University,  Northeast
Lynda Goodrich,  Western Washington University,  West
Dan Kenney,  University of North Carolina Pembroke,  Southeast
Michael Kovalchik,  Hillsdale College,  Central

Division III

Holly Gera,  Montclair State University,  Southeast
Leon Lunder,  Carleton College,  West
Larry Scheiderer,  Denison University,  Central
Don Tencher,  Rhode Island College,  Northeast

NAIA

Bob Burns,  John Brown University,  Central
Jim Dennison,  Walsh University,  Northeast
Steve Knight,  William Carey College,  Southeast
Joel Schuldheisz,  Concordia University,  West

Junior/Community College

Ron Case  Gloucester County College,  Northeast
Gregg Wolfe,  Gulf Coast Community College,  Southeast
Sue Sinclair,  Illinois Central College,  Central
Joe Tubb,  South Plains College,  West

International

Bob Philip, University of British Columbia

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.

GENERAL SPORTS TURF SYSTEMS, headquartered in Rochester, Michigan, is the only synthetic turf company headquartered in the Midwest. The company develops, designs, constructs and services synthetic sports fields. Its primary markets are small to mid-size colleges, and high schools where multiple sports are being played on a single surface and, therefore, require enhanced durability. The company markets these products under its GameDay Grass Xpe and Fusion TurfTM brands, using the world's leading materials and components. The company also offers revenue generation services, lease/finance programs and other customer resources designed to make the process simple and smooth for owners.

NACDA, now in its 41st year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,100 collegiate athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,000 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, NACDA administers nine professional associations for the separate business units that report directly to the athletics director. For more information, please visit NACDA's web site at www.nacda.com.