CLEVELAND, Ohio – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) has named Michael Mominey, the Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President for Advancement at Nova Southeastern University (FL), as the recipient of the NACDA Athletics Director of the Year Award.
“NACDA is honored to continue the tradition of the Athletics Director of the Year Award and recognize a new class of individuals for 2023-24,” said Pat Manak, NACDA Chief Executive Officer. “As an Association it is part of our mission to develop tomorrow’s leaders led by today’s decision makers, which is why it is so fitting that 21 of the 28 recipients of the ADOY award this year are first-time winners. We are proud to play a small role in growing the pipeline of athletics directors making an impact throughout the industry.”
The Athletics Director of the Year award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior College/Community Colleges). The ADOY Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses, and their surrounding communities. Mominey is one of four NCAA Division II Athletic Directors to be recognized with this national honor.
“I am honored and truly humbled by this recognition. Not only because NACDA is a peer driven organization but also because the man that started it all, Mr. Mike Cleary, was one of my first mentors as an aspiring young professional in the business,” stated Mominey. “I am very fortunate and blessed to serve a great institution and most importantly, I have the tremendous opportunity to work with the outstanding people in the NSU Athletic Department. They are the real key to our success and to the culture that we have built. I want to thank everyone on the staff for their contributions and the unwavering support of my own family – I share this with all of them. This recognition is a true reflection of their support, vision, hard work and effort by which this is possible.”
Since his appointment as the Director of Athletics at Nova Southeastern University in January 2002, Mominey has been instrumental in the growth of the NSU athletics department and establishing it as one of the most successful and elite programs in NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference. Throughout his tenure and under Mominey the NSU Athletic program has won an extraordinary 12 NCAA National Championships and 49 Sunshine State Conference titles, in just 22 years of being a member of the NCAA.
Mominey led the department to gaining that NCAA membership in June of 2002, and followed with membership into the Sunshine State Conference in June 2004. Under his direction, the university has added seven intercollegiate athletic teams – men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s track, men’s cross country, women’s tennis, and women’s rowing.
The 2022-23 athletics year brought unprecedented levels of success to the Sharks Athletics Department. Nova Southeastern won three NCAA Division II National Championships – women’s swimming, men’s basketball, and men’s golf – two programs finished as Division II NCAA National Runner ups – women’s golf and women’s tennis –, Women’s Softball reached the College World Series and also won Sunshine State Conference championships in both women’s swimming and men’s basketball. In addition to the team championships, 13 student-athletes, across women’s swimming, men’s swimming, and women’s golf, earned individual national titles. Overall, 11 athletic programs at NSU advanced to their respective NCAA Championships. The success in competition pushed NSU Athletics to a seventh-place finish in the LEARFIELD Directors Cup standings, the highest finish in departmental history.
Nova Southeastern University athletics also experienced success in the classroom, as the athletic department recorded a 3.46 grade point average, the highest departmental GPA in program history. During the 2022-23 academic year, 183 student-athletes were recognized as scholar athletes, 39 recorded a 4.00 GPA, and 81% of student-athletes registered grade point averages higher than 3.00, marking 26 consecutive semesters of a departmental GPA of higher than 3.00.
Mominey also oversaw and led recent capital projects that include major facility upgrades to the NSU Soccer Stadium and the ground-breaking of a new state-of-the-art Softball facility.
Mominey serves as a member of the Corporate Board of the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County.
Mominey is an active member of the Orange Bowl Committee (elected November 2004) and has served in various roles including the Vice Chair of the Athletics Host Committee. He has also serves on the NACDA D2ADA Board and is an honorary board member of the Special Olympics of Broward County
Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 59th annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., at the beginning of the Association-Wide Featured Session on Tuesday, June 11th, starting at 4 p.m.
Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents, and conference commissioners, as well as other respected intercollegiate athletics administrators. Special Divisional Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award. Additional history surrounding the ADOY award, including a list of past winners, can be found here.
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