Jerry Hughes Awarded Prestigious D2 CCA Award of Merit

Having amassed many achievements as a leader in collegiate sports, Jerry Hughes, vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Central Missouri, is being recognized by the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association. Below is the CCA news release providing more details about its recognition, which notes Hughes' important role in shaping Division II athletics..  (CCA Photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) has awarded Jerry Hughes, Vice President Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Central Missouri (UCM), the 2022 D2 CCA Award of Merit, the organization announced Wednesday, May 18.

"The D2 CCA is proud to recognize Jerry Hughes with the Association's greatest honor, The Award of Merit," said D2 CCA President and CACC Commissioner, Daniel Mara. "Jerry has been associated with the University of Central Missouri for over 50 years, first as a student-athlete and for many years as an administrator. He has had far-reaching impact on the NCAA, serving as NCAA Vice President for Division II, on the NCAA Executive Committee and as Chair of the DII Championships Committee. This award is to recognize a career that has helped shape Division II."

"I am very honored to receive the D2 CCA Award of Merit and want to thank the CCA for the honor," said Hughes.

Hughes will receive the award at the 2023 CCA convention in Asheville, N.C.

Hughes began his career at his alma mater, UCM, in 1979 as a business placement director. He also served in several other positions until 1983 when he became director of athletics. Under Hughes leadership, Central Missouri have won 174 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) championships, 10 national championships, had 49 other top-four NCAA finishes, and made more than 300 NCAA post-season appearances. The Central Missouri athletics program also won the MIAA All-Sports Trophy each year from 1998-99 (the year of the award's inception) until the award was discontinued in 2002-03 and took home the first two MIAA Commissioner's Cup following the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons and again in 2019-20 and 2020-21. UCM finished second in the NACDA Directors' Cup in 2010-11, the best finish in school and MIAA history after finishing third the previous two years. In the 24-year history of the Directors' Cup, UCM has 13 Top 10 finishes and 21 Top 20 finishes.

During his tenure, Hughes spearheaded a fundraising project that led to major renovations for Central Missouri football and baseball stadiums, as well as the development for a new recreation complex and clubhouse; and in 2015, he oversaw the redesign for the Keth Memorial Golf Course. Due to his leadership and fundraising efforts, UCM has some of the top facilities in NCAA Division II athletics. Aside from his work at UCM, Hughes has held multiple leadership positions for committees in Division II athletics. He served on the NCAA Executive Committee and as chairman of the Division II Championships Committee. He also served a term as NCAA Vice President for Division II and has been a member of the NCAA Council, making him the only person to twice hold the highest-ranking office available to athletics administrators in NCAA Division II. Other NCAA committees on which he has served are the Membership Structure Committee, Administrative Committee, and Post-Season Football Subcommittee. He has chaired the NCAA Division II Management Council and Membership Growth Project Team and been a member of the NCAA Budget and Finance Committee and NCAA Administrative Review Panel, as well as the NACDA Directors' Cup Committee.

Hughes is the founder of the Las Vegas High Desert Classic, served as Regional Director of the Show-Me State Games, and member of the Governor's Council for Physical Fitness and Health. Jerry Hughes was named Central Region Athletics Director of the Year for the 1998-99, 2001-02, 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons by NACDA. Hughes was also inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and named a Missouri Sports Legend, the highest honor bestowed by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

The Award of Merit is the highest honor presented by the D2 CCA and is reserved for individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the entire NCAA Division II membership and the Division II student-athlete experience.

Hughes joins an extraordinary group of individuals who have been honored with the D2 CCA Award of Merit: Noel Olson, former Commissioner of the North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1998); Bob Vanatta, former Commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference (1999); Fred Jacoby, former Commissioner of the Lone Star Conference (2000); Sonny Moran, former Athletic Director at Morehead State (KY) University (2001); Bill Moore, former Commissioner of the New England Collegiate Conference (2002); Mike Racy, former NCAA Vice President for Division II (2003); Dr. Adam Herbert, former President of the University of North Florida (2004); Dr. Kent Wyatt, former President of Delta State University (2005); Don Landry, former Commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference (2006); Dr. Charles Ambrose, former President of Pfeiffer University (2007); Arend D. (Don) Lubbers, former President Emeritus of Grand Valley State University (2008); Elwood "Woody" Hahn, former PacWest Commissioner (2009); Doug Echols, former SAC Commissioner (2010); Tom Brown, former GLIAC Commissioner (2011); Terri Steeb-Gronau, Vice President of NCAA Division II (2012); Nancy Mitchell, former Executive Director of the DII CCA (2013); Robert Hiegert, former CCAA Commissioner (2014); Butch Raymond, former commissioner of the NSIC (2015); Barry Blizzard, former WVIAC Commissioner (2016); Ruth Reinhardt, executive assistant for Division II at the NCAA (2017); Mike Marcil, former Sunshine State Commissioner (2018); Bob Boerigter former director of athletics at Northwest Missouri State University and former commissioner of the MIAA (2019); Dr. Jerry McGee, former Wingate University president (2020) and Dr. Alan Patterson, former Conference Carolinas Commissioner (2021).

About D2 CCA:
Initiated in 1992 to promote its member conferences and institutions, D2 CCA has made its mark in providing a united front for NCAA Division II athletics. Created after the break-up of the College Division Commissioners Association, the D2 CCA continues to create lines of communication and opportunities for its member conferences. The D2 CCA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 57th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www .nacda.com.