John Brown University Director of Athletics Robyn Daugherty has been selected as a recipient of the Sooner Athletic Conference AD of the Year Award for 2019-20, the conference offices announced Friday morning.
As a result, the conference will nominate Daugherty, finishing her 14th year at the helm of the department, for the 2020 NAIA Athletics Director of the Year. The national honor is set to be announced during the NAIA National Awards Day on Sept. 14.
"This award is a fitting honor for Robyn's efforts, to not only advance the JBU athletics program, but also to recognize her significant contributions to the Sooner Athletic Conference," SAC Commissioner Stan Wagnon said. "Robyn's passion for character-driven athletics and her willingness to lead and serve is second to none. We are grateful for the role she plays in the SAC and the way she represents us."
Under Daugherty's direction, JBU added indoor and outdoor track and field teams in 2019-20, and her efforts helped the university successfully forge a $1M partnership with the Siloam Springs School District to share expenses in the major upgrading of Glenn W. Black Stadium, a practice and competition facility just a few blocks from the main JBU campus.
Academically, JBU student-athletes posted a record-breaking year, including an overall 3.39 cumulative department GPA and breakthrough numbers of SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll recipients (115), NAIA Scholar-Athletes (58) and continued a trend set last season with all 11 athletic programs collecting NAIA Scholar-Team status.
Daugherty, who has now won the conference's AD of the Year honors twice (2011), also serves as the SAC's treasurer for the past four years, overseeing both payable and receivable accounts.
"Robyn has been an active member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the NAIA National Administrative Council, the NAIA Hall of Fame Committee and the NAIA Membership Visit Team," said Oklahoma City University Director of Athletics Jim Abbott. "Robyn is highly regarded by her peers and is a mentor for several athletics directors around the country, including myself. She is a role model for small college administrators and is always quick to share her advice and wisdom."
Daugherty assumed the position as John Brown's director of athletics in 2006 and has guided the program to unprecedented heights. The Golden Eagles are consistently near the top of the Sooner Athletic Conference across its 11 sports -- racking up nine league regular season and tournament titles since 2006, while 24 teams and individuals have advanced to the NAIA National Championships.
"Robyn is most deserving of this award," JBU Vice President for Student Development Steve Beers said. "Her steady management of the athletics department, her leadership of coaches, and most importantly her support and encouragement of our student-athletes is a model for any athletics administrator. Her work is guided by integrity with a focus on meeting the institution's mission. I am proud to have her at JBU and am happy that her hard work is seen and honored with this award."
In 2018, Daugherty was one of four Under Armour NAIA Athletics Directors of the Year by NACDA. For over 20 years, the organization's ADOY program recognizes intercollegiate athletic directors who have shown significant contributions and administrative excellence at their institution over the course of the last year. The award annually honors 28 athletic directors, four from each of the seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA and Junior/Community Colleges).