May 12, 2015 CLEVELAND, Ohio - Baylor University's Ian McCaw was announced today as one of 28 winners for the 2014-15 Under Armour AD of the Year (ADOY) as selected by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). He will receive this award at NACDA's 50th Annual Convention next month at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla.

With just a month remaining in the 2014-15 academic year, Baylor athletics is enjoying another banner year with a school-record eight Big 12 Conference championships, one national team title, a national individual title and 14 teams earning postseason bids on its resume to-date. Under McCaw's leadership, Baylor's athletic department has achieved extraordinary academic, athletic and administrative success since his arrival on Sept. 8, 2003, as the school's 12th Director of Athletics.

Since 2003, Baylor has enjoyed the most competitively successful period in the history of its intercollegiate athletics program. During that span, Baylor has captured four national team championships (three NCAA), 56 Big 12 Conference championships and its first bowl victories in 20 years. This period also includes Baylor's eight highest finishes in the NACDA Directors' Cup standings, highlighted by its best finish ever in both 2004-05 and 2011-12 with a 25th-place ranking. In addition, all 19 sports advanced to postseason competition in 2011-12 for the first time in school history.

Baylor football reached bowl games in five consecutive years for the first time in school history and won the 2011 Alamo Bowl, 2012 Holiday Bowl and 2013 and 2014 Big 12 championships. In addition, Robert Griffin III became the school's first-ever Heisman Trophy winner.

Student-athletes have thrived in the classroom as Baylor finished first or second in the Big 12 in graduation success rate in six of the last eight years and recorded their highest cumulative grade point average on record during 2013-14 at 3.23. While Baylor Athletics has enjoyed extraordinary academic and athletic success, the department has made dramatic strides administratively, too. Since 2003, Baylor Athletics has raised more than $325 million toward capital projects, including the state-of-the-art McLane Stadium which opened to rave reviews in 2014, and student-athlete scholarships.

NACDA Executive Director Bob Vecchione explains the ADOY Award is essential because it highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.

"Since 1998, NACDA has been highlighting the notable contributions made by athletics directors across all divisions of our membership," said Vecchione. "These 28 winners have been recognized by their peers for their outstanding work on campus, in their community and supporting their student-athletes. We look forward to recognizing their significant achievements at our 50th Anniversary Convention this June."

The ADOY award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS; Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior College/Community Colleges), and joining McCaw as 2014-15 Under Armour AD of the Year winners from the Football Bowl Subdivision are Kentucky's Mitch Barnhart, TCU's Chris Del Conte and UConn's Warde Manuel.

All NACDA-member directors of athletics in the United States, Canada and Mexico who met the criteria were eligible for the award. Among the criteria were service as an AD for a minimum of five academic years; demonstration of commitment to higher education and student-athletes; continuous teamwork, loyalty and excellence; and the ability to inspire individuals or groups to high levels of accomplishments. Additionally, each AD's institution must have passed a compliance check through its appropriate governing body (i.e., NCAA, NAIA, etc.), in which the institution could not have been on probation or cited for a lack of institutional control within the last five years during the tenure of the current athletics director.

Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents and conference commissioners. Special Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, present and past NCAA and NAIA presidents, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award. A complete listing of Selection Committee members can be found on NACDA's Web site at www.nacda.com.