Florida’s Foley is NACDA SE Region AD of the Year
Monday, June 17, 2002 | General
The University of Florida's Jeremy Foley was named the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Division I-A Southeast Region Athletics Director of the Year today at the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon at NACDA's 37th Annual Convention at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel.
NACDA presents the AD of the Year (ADOY) award in each of the four geographic regions – southeast, northeast, central and west - while the membership is separated into six categories; Division I-A; Division I-AA/I-AAA combined; Division II, Division III; NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions combined; and Junior/Community Colleges. One winner was selected in each of the six categories, along with one international winner for a total of 25 honorees.
Foley has overseen the Florida athletics program since the spring of 1992. The Gator program enjoyed one the finest athletic years in school history in 2001-02. Twelve teams finished among the nation's top 10 in their respective sports and the athletic program is expected to rank among the nation's top five when the final 2001-02 Sears Directors' Cup stands are released later this month. Under Foley's leadership, UF has placed in the top 10 of the Sears Directors' Cup standings every year, finishing as high as second in 1997-98.
In Southeastern Conference action, Florida won four league crowns in 2001-02, raising its total to 64 league titles since 1990, the top total in the SEC over that time span. For the 11th consecutive year and 13th time in the last 15 years, the University of Florida claimed the SEC All-Sports Trophy. Florida became the first school in SEC history to win all three in 1992 and repeated the feat in 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002. No other school in the league has won all three titles in the same year.
UF's commitment in the classroom is equally impressive. Under Foley, UF has honored 46 Academic All-Americans, including five during the 2001-02 campaign. UF had a league- and school-record 149 student-athletes named to the SEC's Academic Honor Roll in 2001-02. Florida's 1,001 Academic All-SEC honorees over the last 10 years is the best 10-year total in UF and SEC history. Since 1980, Florida has had 1,428 student-athletes named to the SEC's Academic Honor Roll, the highest total for any SEC school over that span as well.
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. "The program brings to light the exceptional jobs done by athletics directors across the country. These 25 winners exemplify that, providing us with a group of outstanding athletics directors who excel at their jobs."
| NACDA Division I-A Athletics Directors of the Year | ||
| Jeremy Foley | University of Florida | Southeast |
| Bob Bowlsby | University of Iowa | Central |
| DeLoss Dodds | University of Texas | West |
| Laing Kennedy | Kent State University | Northeast |
