The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) recently announced the 28 winners of the NACDA Athletic Director of the Year (ADOY) award. Keiser University’s Kris Swogger was recognized among this year’s winners.

“I am truly honored to be named as a recipient of the AD of the Year Award. While it is an individual award, I really view this as an honor that is bestowed to Keiser University,” Swogger said. “Without support from our Chancellor’s Office, Flagship Campus Administration, our Athletic Department Staff, Coaches and most of all Student-Athletes I would not be where I am today. My role is to provide guidance to our coaches/staff and an opportunity for our student-athletes to succeed, and lucky for me they have been able to perform at the highest level possible.”

“Congratulations to Kris on this well-deserved honor,” SUN Conference Commissioner Dustin Wilke said. “This recognition is a testament to the many accomplishments of Keiser Athletics under Kris’s steadfast leadership as well as his generous commitment to service in The Sun Conference and the NAIA.”

During the 2023-24 season, Keiser has claimed two NAIA National Championships (football and women’s swimming & diving), increasing the school’s total all-time to 20. The Seahawks have produced 98 All-Americans, 70 all-conference winners, 77 conference academic honors, and 77 NAIA Scholar-Athletes during the 2023-24 season.

Under Swogger, the Seahawks have finished in the top-5 in the final standings of the Learfield Cup for seven straight years, winning the trophy in 2020-21. This year, Keiser ranked fifth following the Fall Standings.

Since taking over at Keiser, the Seahawks have produced 1,128 all-conference athletes, 771 academic all-conference honorees, 741 NAIA All-Americans, and 444 NAIA Scholar-Athletes. The Seahawks have made 111 NAIA postseason appearances, have won 38 conference regular season titles, and 41 conference tournament crowns. In 2022-23, Keiser claimed its fourth Sun Conference Commissioner’s Cup.

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 11, starting at 4 p.m.

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.

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 during the tenure of the current athletics director.

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.