BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford Director of Athletics Martin Newton was named one of the Athletics Directors of the Year when the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) released its annual awards Wednesday.
 
"Those of us who work alongside Martin Newton every day and have seen the incredible impact he has had on Samford's athletic programs are not surprised to know he's at the head of the class," Samford President Dr. Beck Taylor said. "Martin's commitment to Samford's Christ-centered mission and his desire for all of Samford's athletic programs to reflect the excellence of the entire university make him a beloved member of the Samford family. We are all very proud of him."
 
The ADOY Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities. Newton is one of just four winners nationally at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
 
"NACDA is honored to continue the tradition of the Athletics Director of the Year Award and recognize a new class of individuals for 2023-24," Pat Manak, NACDA Chief Executive Officer said. "As an Association it is part of our mission to develop tomorrow's leaders led by today's decision makers, which is why it is so fitting that 21 of the 28 recipients of the ADOY award this year are first-time winners. We are proud to play a small role in growing the pipeline of athletics directors making an impact throughout the industry."
 
Newton has transformed Samford into one of the Southern Conference's most successful programs since taking the helm of the department on March 9, 2011.
 
On the fields and courts, the Bulldogs have captured 73 Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships during his tenure, including a school record 11 championships in 2022-23.
 
Additionally, in the most recent Southern Conference All-Sports standings Samford won both the Germann Cup (top women's program) and the Commissioner's Cup (top men's program), marking the first time any school has swept the awards since Appalachian State in the 2012-13 academic year.
 
Academically, the school's student-athletes have also posted outstanding results in the classroom, with 2,175 Bulldogs being named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll during his time. Samford's student-athletes posted an impressive 97 percent in the most recent NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) report, the highest mark in the SoCon and in the state of Alabama.
           
The ADOY Award program is in its 26^th year and has recognized a total of 584 deserving athletics directors to date.
 
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 during the tenure of the current athletics director.
 
Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents and conference commissioners, as well as other respected intercollegiate athletics administrators. Special Divisional Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award. Additional history surrounding the ADOY award, including a list of past winners, can be found here.
 
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