SIOUX CITY, IOWA – A Merna native has been named the Great Plains Athletic Conference Athletic Director of the Year for the third time.
The conference announced Thursday that Devin Smith has been chosen for the award, which is voted on by the league’s athletic directors.
Smith has been the AD at Concordia University in Seward since 2010. He was previously named the AD of the Year in 2015 and 2020. He was also the NACDA National Athletic Director of the Year in 2021.
In 2023-24 Concordia finished first in the GPAC All-Sports Trophy Standings. It’s the fifth time in school history that Concordia has won the Trophy. In addition, Concordia was 15th in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings this past year.
Concordia has also been named an NAIA Champions of Character Institution every year since Smith became AD.
For the last eight years Smith has represented the GPAC on the NAIA National Administrative Council and is the current chair of the Championships Sub-Committee. He will begin a two-year term as the Chair of the GPAC Athletic Director Steering Committee in 2024-25.
“The GPAC congratulates Devin on his accomplishments in the past year at Concordia and winning this high honor from the league,” GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra said. “Under Devin’s leadership the Bulldogs continue to be leaders on and off the courts and fields of competition, the GPAC greatly appreciates his leadership not only for his institution but for our conference and in the NAIA.”
Smith graduated from Anselmo-Merna High School in 1987. He earned his bachelors degree from Concordia in 1992 and a masters from Minnesota State-Mankato in 1998.
