ORLANDO, Fla. - The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced the winners of the Under Armour AD of the Year Award today (June 13) and two MVC ADs were honored.

Indiana State's Ron Prettyman earned the award for the Central Region of the Football Championship Subdivision, while Creighton's Bruce Rasmussen was also honored with an AD of the Year Award.

There are four geographic regions - northeast, southeast, central and west; while the membership is separated into seven categories - Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A); Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA); Division I (formerly Division I-AAA); Division II; Division III; NAIA; and Junior/Community Colleges. One winner was selected in each of the seven categories, for a total of 28 honorees. 

Winners will receive their awards during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon on Saturday, June 18 at NACDA's 46th Annual Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla., though Rasmussen will be unable to attend due to his role with Creighton as the host school for the College World Series.

During the 2010-11 athletic season, Prettyman, who completed his sixth year at Indiana State, led the athletics department to one of their most successful seasons in recent years. Just a few of the highlights of this past year for ISU under Prettyman include: the football team's first winning season since 1996, the men's basketball team's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament and the men's cross country and track & field teams winning the triple crown of conference titles.

This is the second time that Prettyman, who was hired at Indiana State on March 31, 2005, after 10 years at California State - Dominguez Hills, has earned a national award from NACDA. In 2004, Prettyman claimed the NCAA/NACDA Administrator of the Year award.

Under Rasmussen's watch, Creighton has had 19 student-athletes earn a combined 26 CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades, while his coaching staffs have combined for 27 different honors. In addition, Creighton has picked up 22 regular-season titles, 29 MVC Tournament titles and made 56 postseason appearances.  Rasmussen was also selected with a similar honor in 2004.

This past academic year, Creighton was one of five schools nationally to reach the NCAA Tournament in men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and baseball during the 2010-11 school year. The Bluejays were joined on that list by California, New Mexico, North Carolina and UCLA.  In addition, Creighton has also been recognized with the MVC All-Academic Award in six of the past seven seasons. 

NACDA Executive Director Mike Cleary explains the ADOY Award is essential because it highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to campuses and their surrounding communities.

"Our Honors and Awards Committee recognized a need for an award such as the AD of the Year," said Cleary, who oversaw implementation of the program to allow all NACDA Officers and Honors and Awards Committee members to participate in the awards process, should they be elected. "The program brings to light the outstanding jobs done by athletics directors across the country. These 28 winners exemplify that, providing us with a group of exemplary athletics directors who excel at their jobs."

Winners of the 2010-11 Under Armour AD of the Year Awards are: 

Football Bowl Subdivision

Kathy Beauregard Western Michigan University Central 

Bill Bradshaw Temple University Northeast 

Chris Hill University of Utah West 

Eric Hyman University of South Carolina Southeast 

Football Championship Subdivision 

Charlie Cobb Appalachian State University Southeast 

Robert Hill Stephen F. Austin State University West 

Ron Prettyman Indiana State University Central 

Joe Sterrett Lehigh University Northeast 

Division I 

Jeff Altier Stetson University Southeast 

Mike Lynch Boston University Northeast 

Bruce Rasmussen Creighton University Central 

Larry Williams University of Portland West 

Division II

Kathleen Brasfield Angelo State University West 

Rick Cole Jr. Dowling College Northeast 

Peggy Davis Virginia State University Southeast 

Jerry Hughes University of Central Missouri Central 

Division III 

Jim Knowlton Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Northeast 

Frank O’Brien University of Wisconsin Stevens Point West 

Larry Scheiderer Denison University Central 

Joy Solomen Rowan University Southeast 

NAIA/Other 4-Year Institutions

Bill Ashby University of Maine Fort Kent Northeast 

Rusty Hollingsworth Campbellsville University Southeast 

Gary Picone Lewis-Clark State College West 

Thomas Smith Missouri Baptist University Central 

Junior/Community Colleges

Mick McDaniel Tompkins Cortland Community College Northeast 

Jay Mehrhoff East Central College Central 

Christopher Parker Patrick Henry Community College Southeast 

John Volek Sierra College West