OREM—Utah Valley University Director of Athletics, Dr. Jared Sumsion, has been named the Division I-AAA Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Sumsion will be honored at the 59th Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention, held at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the Association-Wide Featured Session on Tuesday, June 11.
The Athletics Director of the Year Award celebrates the dedication and positive impact of athletics directors at all levels, acknowledging their commitment to student-athletes, campuses, and surrounding communities.
"NACDA is delighted to continue the tradition of the Athletics Director of the Year Award, celebrating a new class of leaders for 2023-24," stated Pat Manak, NACDA Chief Executive Officer. "As an association, our mission includes nurturing future leaders, guided by today's visionaries. It's gratifying that 21 out of the 28 recipients this year are first-time awardees. We're honored to contribute to the development of impactful athletics directors across the industry."
Now in its 26th year, the Athletics Director of the Year Award program has recognized 584 athletics directors for their exemplary service.
Under Sumsion's leadership, Utah Valley University Athletics has seen substantial achievements, including winning the 2019-20 WAC Commissioner's Cup, eight WAC Team Championships, three consecutive WAC Academic Excellence Awards (2020-23), six NACMA 'Best of' Awards, and the 2021-22 College Communicators Changemaker Innovation Award, highlighting innovative approaches within the athletics department.
His tenure has been marked by numerous academic and athletic accomplishments. The Wolverine athletic programs are consistently among the nation's best academically, with nearly every sport earning team academic honors each year and a significant number of student-athletes who earn Academic All-Conference, outperforming all other programs in the Western Athletic Conference and Big 12 Conference.
UVU's athletic programs have thrived under Sumsion, achieving national rankings in women's soccer, cross country, and outdoor track & field. This era has also featured six NCAA Tournament appearances and a 2023 Men's Basketball NIT semifinal appearance. Key coaching hires, including Mark Madsen, Todd Phillips, Chris Lemay, Kyle Beckerman, Juli Erekson, Eddie Smith, Dan Nielson, Cody Thomson and recently Adam Hall have played a significant role in these achievements. The success in the department has also included nine All-Americans and five Academic All-Americans.
The first men's and women's golf individual WAC Champions, three WAC Stan Bates Award Winners, and the 2021 WAC Joe Kearney Award winner further showcase the department's widespread success.
Sumsion's strategic initiatives have led to the largest fundraising contributions in UVU's history. Significant donations with partners like Utah Community Credit Union, dōTERRA, Intermountain Health and others totaling over $64.2 million have supported department growth and prosperity. Additionally, corporate partnership and annual giving has increased to over $2 million per year under his direction. These collaborations have enabled the development of new facilities and the enhancement of all athletic programs at UVU. His prior roles at UVU included managing revenue streams, donor relations, marketing, and guiding UVU's wrestling program into the BIG 12 Conference.
Sumsion earned a bachelor's degree from Utah Valley University, where he served as student body president, and holds a master's degree in business administration and a Doctor of Education in organizational leadership with a minor in conflict resolution.
A native of Springville, Utah, Sumsion and his wife, Stephanie, have four children: Kyson, Krew, Maylee, and Remi.
