ACC Commissioner John Swofford received the 2006 Homer Rice Award.
ACC Commissioner John Swofford received the 2006 Homer Rice Award.

ACC Schools and Administration Honored by the Division 1A Athletics Directors' Association

ACC Commissioner John Swofford receives 2006 Homer Rice Award.

Sept. 27, 2006

Dallas - The Division 1A Athletic Directors' Association honored Commissioner John Swofford and recognized three Atlantic Coast Conference schools at its awards luncheon in Dallas on Monday, September 25.

Commissioner John Swofford was honored with the 2006 Homer Rice Award. The award is presented annually to an athletics director with a distinguished career, who has made a significant impact on the Director of Athletics profession and intercollegiate athletics. It is presented in honor of Homer Rice, the Founder and first President of the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association. It is the highest award given by the Association.

Criteria for selection of the annual recipient includes 1) The nominee must have served as a Director of Athletics for at least ten years at Division 1A Institutions; 2) He/She must have made significant and meaningful contributions to intercollegiate athletics; 3) He/She must have been retired from a Division 1A Athletic Directors position for at least one year; and 4) The nomination must be from a current member of the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association as a result of a thorough and extensive process.

The Office of Student Life and the Virginia Tech Athletics Department were honored with the 1A CHAMPS Program of Excellence Award. The award is a lifetime award that recognizes Division 1A athletics programs that have established student-athlete welfare as the cornerstone of their operating principles. The CHAMPS acronym stands for, challenging athletes' minds for personal success. The program consists of five areas, academic excellence, athletic excellence, personal development and commitment to service and career development.

Virginia Tech became the fifth ACC program to be named a 1A CHAMPS Program of Excellence. NC State (1997), Florida State (1998), Clemson (1999) and Georgia Tech (1999) have been recognized in the past.

The Division 1A Athletic Directors' Association also recognized five schools - two in the ACC - for their ongoing campaigns to promote sportsmanship. Clemson and NC State were honored with 1A Sportsmanship Recognition.