Two weeks into October, there have already been several award-winning moments for Grand Valley State University Athletics. Last week, though, it was not an athlete who took home a trophy, but Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Lisa Sweany.

The National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators honored Sweany on Oct. 12 at the annual Administrator of the Year, Honor and Distinction Awards Banquet in Fort Worth, Texas. Sweany received the Administrator of the Year Award, which is given to NACWAA members who have made significant contributions as administrators of intercollegiate athletics.

“I think she is very well-deserved,” said Athletic Director Tim Selgo. “Lisa has played a huge role in the success of our athletic department. I’m very proud of her and I’m glad to see that she was rewarded for her efforts.”

Sweany was one of nine individuals, each chosen from a separate collegiate division or organization, to be voted by her peers as the Administrator of the Year. Other honorees for the award, which is sponsored by Jostons, included administrators from University of California-Los Angeles, Colgate University, University of Maine Farmington, Notre Dame College and Sports Law Associates, LLC.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Sweany said. “When you’re recognized by your peers for doing a good job, it means that people are paying attention to the things that you’re doing. It gives affirmation to what I do day in and day out. I’m typically not one who’s big on individual orders, but this one, when you’re nominated by your peers and voted in by your peers, that’s a pretty cool thing to do.”

Though Sweany listed this as her greatest personal accomplishment as a professional, she was quick to shine the spotlight on her colleagues in Athletics.

“This award continues to reiterate that we work really hard here,” she said. “All the time, we’re talking about staying humble and working hard, and that’s what all of us do. Certainly, receiving this award is not just an individual award. Our athletics department does so much. We work so hard and work so well together to make things better for the student-athlete.”

Sweany was hired in the spring of 2000 and earned the title of Senior Associate Athletic Director six years later. Though she enjoys her current position and location, she said she would not mind becoming an athletic director someday.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me,” she said. “I truly enjoy working for Grand Valley. I’ve got a great job and great peers. Tim Selgo is an excellent athletic director. Hopefully some day, there might be an athletic director’s position out there that I might be interested in that I might get a shot at.”

Selgo said Sweany’s hard work will lead to even bigger things in the future.

“She certainly has an AD position in her future,” he said. “A lot of folks recognize that. It’s part of the reason her peers recognized her and gave her this award.”

No matter where she lands, Sweany stressed the importance of two things – a supportive administration and a desire to stay in Division II.

“I really like the Division II level,” she said. “I like the philosophy of Division II and the combination of athletics and academics. Hopefully, there might be an AD position out there with my name on it. I know that from working here at Grand Valley and for Tim Selgo, I will be ready to take that next step.”

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