CLEVELAND, Ohio – University of Saint Francis Athletic Director Mike McCaffrey has been named an Under Armour AD of the Year Award recipient by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). He is the first USF athletic director to receive the NACDA honor.
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.
“This is certainly the most humbling recognition that I have ever received,” McCaffrey said when notified of the honor. “To be in a group that includes so many people that I respect and admire is amazing. I am so thankful to be able to work with the student-athletes and coaches every day. It has been a blessing to be at USF for as long as I have and I look forward to working hard for the foreseeable future on behalf of the entire Cougars family.”
McCaffrey currently serves as the NAIA Athletic Director’s Association President for 2018-19. He has been an active board member of the NAIA-ADA Board of Directors since it began in 2012, first representing the Crossroads League, before being elected to the executive committee in 2015.
McCaffrey, who was a 2011 Fort Wayne Business Weekly “40-Under-40” selection, has been USF athletic director since January 2012. He joined the USF staff in 2008 in the capacity of USF athletics marketing director and became assistant athletic director in 2009. The USF Athletic Department has implemented many new initiatives under his leadership, including Student-Athlete Study tables, Student-Athlete Leadership Team and the annual CASPY Awards for USF Student-Athletes.
USF student-athletes have earned over a 3.1 GPA in every semester since McCaffrey became athletic director at USF. The department has earned over 500 academic all-conference honors since 2011 and 24 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
The award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior College/Community Colleges). Winners will receive their awards during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, June 11 at NACDA’s 54th Annual Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the School of Health Sciences, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership and School of Creative Arts. In addition to its traditional programs, USF designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. In 2016, the University of Saint Francis expanded its presence to downtown Fort Wayne. USF Downtown houses the university’s business and music technology programs while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis campus experience includes 16 athletic programs boasting four team NAIA national championships and two individual champions, and is recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution. Approximately 2,300 students from a broad geographic region attend USF.