DeLoss Dodds Receives 27th Homer Rice Award from the LEAD1 Association!

Washington, D.C., (PRWeb) September 27, 2017  DeLoss Dodds, former Athletic Director at the University of Texas and Kansas State University, was selected by the board of the LEAD1 Association to receive the 27th Homer Rice Award, which was presented at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on September 26 and 27, 2017.

Awarded annually, the Homer Rice Award is named after the legendary former athletic director at the University of Texas, who founded the Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Association, the predecessor to the LEAD1 Association, which represents the athletic directors, athletic programs, and student-athletes of the 130 universities of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The award goes to one who has served as an athletic director for at least ten years, has made significant and meaningful contributions to intercollegiate athletics, and has been retired from a LEAD1 Association university for at least one year. "The success of DeLoss Dodds can be measured both on and off the playing field for Kansas State University and the University of Texas as their Athletic Director," remarked Tom McMillen, President and Chief Executive Officer of the LEAD1 Association. "He was also a visionary leader of the Big Eight Conference as its Assistant Commissioner, instrumental in leading its growth to today’s Big Twelve Conference. Dodds also performed in an outstanding manner as President of the D1A Athletic Directors’ Association.”

At Kansas State University, he was successful as an athlete, coach, and athletic director. His track teams at Kansas State won six Big Eight Championships. Later, as the men’s Athletic Director at the University of Texas from 1981-2013, Dodd led the Longhorns to 14 national titles and 108 conference championships. He also directed nearly $400 million in facility upgrades and negotiated the Longhorn Network deal with ESPN. McMillen noted, “Dodds was a triple threat in college sports as an athlete, coach, and administrator, winning at the highest levels in all three endeavors, testament to the best that the LEAD1 Association has to offer for university sports.” In his leadership roles in college sports, he also served on the NCAA’s Postseason Football Committee and Men’s Basketball Committee.   

ABOUT LEAD1: Essential to the mission of the LEAD1 Association are influencing how the rules of college sports are enacted and implemented, advocating for the future of college athletics, and providing various services to the members, ranging from professional development to pooled purchasing arrangements. The mission statement of the LEAD1 Association is, “Supporting the athletic directors of America’s leading intercollegiate programs in preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders.” The universities of LEAD1 Association are located in 41 states across America (map below). For more information, please contact Jonathan Yates, Director of Communications & Public Affairs for LEAD1 Association, by email at [email protected], by phone at 301-807-2523, or visit the website, https://www.lead1association.com.