CLEMSON, S.C. \u2013 Following a remarkable year for Clemson sports both on and off the competition fields, Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich has been named a finalist for the SportsBusiness Journal Athletics Director of the Year Award. Radakovich is nominated along with Mitch Barnhart of Kentucky, Jeff Long of Arkansas and Ian McCaw of Baylor, and a winner will be named Wednesday night at the Sports Business Awards Ceremony in New York.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a great honor to be nominated alongside these three great leaders in our profession,\u201d Radakovich said. \u201cIt\u2019s a testament to the hard work of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the entire Clemson Family and what each of them do for our department.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2014-15, Clemson student-athletes posted the highest athletic department GPA in school history with a 3.02 cumulative average in the Fall semester, and the NCAA\u2019s Graduation Success Rate of 91 percent ranked third nationally among public institutions.<\/p>\n
The football program recorded its fourth-consecutive 10-win season and Clemson earned NCAA Tournament appearances in men\u2019s and women\u2019s soccer, men\u2019s and women\u2019s tennis, track and field, baseball, rowing and men\u2019s and women\u2019s golf. Additionally, the school won Atlantic Coast Conference titles in men\u2019s soccer, women\u2019s indoor track and women\u2019s outdoor track.<\/p>\n
Since his arrival in December of 2013, the athletic department has received approvals for $158 million in facility improvements and increased spending on direct student-athlete development programs including nutrition, mental health and professional development by $1.8 million. His department has increased overall revenue from $69 million in fiscal year 2014 to $79 million in FY15 and a projected $85 million in FY16.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Radakovich also served in 2014 as a member of the inaugural College Football Playoff selection committee.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Launched in 2008, the Sports Business Awards were established by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily to celebrate and recognize the leaders, visionaries and day-to-day practitioners who personify excellence in the business of sports. The 2015 nominees and winners will be recognized for excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports for the period from March 1, 2014 – February 28, 2015.<\/p>\n