Cleveland, Ohio – March 16, 2019 – Hamline University athletic director Jason Verdugo has been named a recipient of the 2018-19 Under Armour AD of the Year Award, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced on Wednesday.
Verdugo is one of 28 recipients from seven divisions of collegiate athletics and one of just four from NCAA Division III. The award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses, and their surrounding communities. Verdugo will receive his award during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, June 11 at NACDA’s 54th Annual Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.
A fixture at Hamline for the past two decades, Verdugo spent 11 seasons as the school’s head baseball coach, guiding the Pipers to 216 wins – more than any coach in program history. His time in the dugout was punctuated by a 29-win season in 2011 which resulted in a MIAC Playoff title and the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Verdugo was named Hamline AD in 2012. The Pipers have thrived under his leadership, launching a women’s lacrosse program in 2016 which advanced to the NCAA Tournament two years in a row – a feat that was replicated by the HU women’s hockey team this season. On the facilities front, Verdugo spearheaded the Hamline baseball team’s move to CHS Field and arranged for TRIA Rink to be the home of Hamline hockey.
Prior to his current role, Verdugo served as an Assistant Athletic Director, Director of Compliance, and assisted in fundraising for the athletics department. He is a member of the University Leadership and President Staff, the Academic and Student Affairs Leadership Committee, and the University Strategic Planning Committee. He also serves on the Piper Athletic Association board, which helps fundraise and connect alumni with the athletic department. He sits on the committees for Campus Planning and Risk Management, as well as the school’s Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force.
On the national level, Verdugo has served as the NCAA Midwest Region representative for baseball coaches and is a member of the NCAA D-III Diversity and Inclusion Working Group and the NADIIIAA Education Committee. He has also worked extensively with the NCAA Pathways program since 2012.
Photo courtesy of MIAC Conference Communications.