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CLEVELAND— Ohio Director of Athletics Julie Cromer was named NACDA Athletics Director of the Year (ADOY), as announced by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics today (March 20).
The award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior College/Community Colleges). Of the 28 honorees, four represent FBS schools. Other FBS honorees include Jeff Bourne (James Madison), Rick George (Colorado) and Desireé Reed-Francois (Missouri).
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.
"Julie Cromer is a national leader in Intercollegiate Athletics," Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez said. "Under her leadership, our student athletes have excelled on the field and in the classroom. Congratulations to Julie on this well-deserved honor. We are so pleased to have her at Ohio University."
Under Cromer's leadership, Ohio Athletics has continued to excel on the field while re-imagining student-athlete engagement and setting records for graduation success.
Ohio's NCAA Graduation Rates have reached record numbers with a 94% Graduation Success Rate in both 2022 and 2023. The 2015-16 cohort marked the third-straight year Ohio led the MAC and set a GSR record. Ohio achieved its highest-ever GPA at 3.32 in the spring of 2021, while the cumulative student-athlete GPA was 3.23.
Cromer also reconfigured Ohio's external relations department, creating one of the first digital strategies units in the MAC. As a result, Ohio has led the league with the most followed and most engaged digital media platforms in the Conference for the last three years.
Recent athletic successes are highlighted by the 2023 women's soccer team winning their first Mid-American Conference tournament championship in program history, going on to make their first NCAA tournament appearance. The Bobcats' football program secured their second-consecutive 10-win season with their 2023 Myrtle Beach Bowl victory, marking another program first in 2023.
When Ohio hosted the 2024 MAC Swimming and Diving Championships in Athens, Ohio last month, Ohio's own Zita Szoke became the first Bobcat to win the 200-yard freestyle since 2004, setting a program record at the same time. After setting a school record in the 100-yard freestyle, Szoke became the first Ohio swimmer to earn an invitation to the NCAA Championships since 2014. Szoke helped Ohio finish in 3rd place at MAC Championships, the highest finish in 11 years.
Over the last few years four Ohio coaches have been recognized for their excellence. Women's soccer's Aaron Rodgers, football's Tim Albin and softball's Jenna Hall all earned MAC Coach of the Year accolades and most recently, field hockey's Ali Johnstone was named MAC Co-Coach of the Year following the 2023 regular season.
"This award celebrates the outstanding work of our Ohio Athletics staff, coaches and student-athletes and acknowledges their record-setting achievements over the last year," said Cromer. "It is such a privilege to serve as their athletics director and it is an incredible honor to be recognized by our NACDA peers."
Campus partnerships also have expanded since Cromer's arrival. Ohio has enhanced relationships with Ohio University's College of Business, the Scripps College of Communication, Heritage College of Medicine, College of Health Sciences and Professions and the Patton College of Education. These partnerships allow for experiential opportunities and career training for undergraduate and graduate students, which in turn ensures intercollegiate athletics is anchored within the broader university structure.
In conjunction with Bobcat Athletics' partnership with the University's business school, Cromer serves as an Executive in Residence in Ohio's world-renowned AECOM Center for Sport Administration. She teaches a course for the residential MSA program and directly supervises graduate assistants.
Cromer's involvement in the advancement and improvement of college athletics has earned her national recognition. Most recently, Cromer was named the 2023 Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in College Sports and earned a spot in the Sports Business Journal 2022 Game Changers class.
Actively engaged in intercollegiate athletics nationally, Cromer has served on committees and working groups within the NCAA, various athletic conferences, and several professional development associations. In 2022, Cromer co-chaired the NCAA's Transformation Committee, which was formed to identify opportunities to modernize Division I college sports.
"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."
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.
For a full list of honorees, go to www.nacda.com.
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