Armstrong Atlantic's Eddie Aenchbacher Named Under Armour AD of the Year

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Former Armstrong Atlantic State athletic director Dr. Eddie Aenchbacher has been named an Under Armour AD of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of America, announced today. The winners will be recognized during the 44th Annual NACDA Convention at the James J. Corbett Luncheon on Saturday, June 20 at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.

There are four geographic regions - northeast, southeast, central and west; while the membership is separated into seven categories - Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A); Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA); Division I (formerly Division I-AAA); Division II; Division III; NAIA; and Junior/Community Colleges, along with one International winner. One winner was selected in each of the seven categories, for a total of 29 honorees - Aenchbacher was the Division II Southeast Region honoree.

"I'm quite humbled to be recognized by NACDA as one of the Under Armour ADs of the Year," Aenchbacher said. "To be honored by your peers is perhaps the most special, and most gratifying, achievement you can have in any profession. But this honor could not have been achieved without a tremenous amount of support by the administration, coaches and staff at Armstrong Atlantic State University. This award is as much theirs, as it is mine."

In the time covered by the award, Aenchbacher oversaw a Pirate program that captured two NCAA Division II National Championships in men's and women's tennis; three student-athletes earned ESPN: The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and presided over a department that boasted a 2.97 cumulative GPA, with 56% of student-athletes earning a GPA over 3.00 for the semester.

On April 1, 2009, Dr. Aenchbacher retired from AASU after nearly 30 years of service to the campus as a coach, professor and administrator.

The state of Georgia was well represented in the awards as Damon Evans of the University of Georgia was the FBS Southeast AD of the Year, while Sam Baker of Georgia Southern University was the FCS Southeast AD of the Year. This is the first honor for an AASU Athletic Director in the history of the program.

Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents and conference commissioners. Special Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, present and past NCAA and NAIA presidents, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award.