University of Missouri Director of Athletics Mike Alden has been named a finalist for the Sports Business Journal Athletic Director of the Year Award, as announced by Sports Business Journal.
Alden, in his 16th season leading Mizzou Athletics (second only in longest tenure at MU to the legendary Don Faurot, who served as A.D. for 27 years from 1935-42 and 1946-66), is one of five up for the award, which will be presented at a ceremony on May 21st in New York City.
The 2014 nominees are being recognized for excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports for the period of March 1, 2013, to Feb. 28, 2014. During that window, Mizzou has won Southeastern Conference championships in football and volleyball, as well as a Mid-American Conference title in wrestling. Mizzou also ranked second in the SEC in Academic Progress Rate when reports were released in June of 2013, and later that month, Alden was named president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics for the 2013-14 season.
The A.D. award will be judged by the editorial staff of Sports Business Journal. Alden is a finalist along with Greg Byrne (Arizona), Judy Rose (UNC-Charlotte), Kevin White (Duke) and Scott Woodward (Washington).
“I’m very honored to be among this group of outstanding leaders,” said Alden. “To be a finalist for this kind of award says more about our organization and the type of leaders we have than it does about me personally. We’re very proud of what we have built at Mizzou, and we will continue to work very hard to represent Mizzou in a way that brings pride to the people of Missouri. We’re grateful for this recognition, and certainly wish all the other finalists the best,” he said.
— MU Sports Information —