GPAC RELEASE
Sioux City, IA– Devin Smith of Concordia University (Nebraska) has been selected as the 2023-24 Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Athletic Director of the Year. The award is voted on by the league’s athletic directors.
Smith has been athletic director at Concordia University since 2010. This is the third time that Smith has earned GPAC Athletic Director of the Year honors (2014-15 and 2019-20). He was also the NACDA National Athletic Director of the Year in 2020-21.
In 2023-24 he guided the Bulldogs athletic department to a first-place finish in the GPAC All-Sports Trophy Standings. The 2023-24 title was the fifth time in school history that Concordia has won the GPAC All-Sports Trophy. In addition, Concordia was 15th in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings this past year.
Since Smith became Athletic Director at Concordia, the institution has been named a NAIA Champions of Character Institution every year (14 times).
For the last eight years Smith has represented the GPAC on the NAIA National Administrative Council (NAC) 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.
“Devin’s passion for our student-athletes and his genuine care for the well being of our coaches is evident in his daily actions,” said Concordia (Nebraska) President Dr. Bernard Bull. “He is a passionate Bulldog and a Champion for Christ, inspiring everyone around him to strive for Christ-centered excellence.”
“The GPAC congratulates Devin on his accomplishments in the past year at Concordia and winning this high honor from the league,” said GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra. “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 will be the GPAC nominee for the NAIA ADA Athletic Director of the Year.
