Brandt named Athletics Director of the Year

Northwestern College’s Barry Brandt has been named the 2014 NAIA Athletics Director of the Year. The award, announced this afternoon by the NAIA, recognizes outstanding accomplishments in athletics administration and service to the national organization. Brandt will be formally honored on April 13 during the NAIA national convention in Charlotte, N.C.

Brandt was Northwestern’s director of athletics from 2000 until this past June, when he moved to the associate athletic director role as he prepares to retire in May 2015. Dr. Earl Woudstra, who was the college’s assistant athletic director since 2004, is the new AD.

“Barry Brandt stands for all that is good about the NAIA and intercollegiate athletics,” says Jim Carr, president and CEO of the NAIA. “Throughout his career, he has had such a tremendously positive impact on student-athletes and everyone he encountered. This is a well-deserved honor.”

“I am so pleased Barry has been selected for this honor,” says Greg Christy, Northwestern’s president. “He served faithfully as AD for 14 years at Northwestern and was highly involved within the Great Plains Athletic Conference and at the NAIA national level. Barry is highly respected not only for his work but more importantly for who he is as a person. He loves the Lord, his family, Northwestern College and our students.

“Perhaps his greatest legacy is the coaching staff he leaves behind,” adds Christy. “Barry has hired every head coach we have at Northwestern. We are blessed to have an outstanding group of men and women who are excellent coaches but even better teachers and mentors of young people. Northwestern College and Red Raider athletics are special because of people like Barry Brandt.”

During Brandt’s tenure as athletic director, Northwestern teams won seven NAIA national championships (men’s basketball in 2001 and 2003 and women’s basketball in 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012) and the athletic department’s staffing was strengthened so nearly all of the head coaches are full-time college employees.

Facility upgrades included major improvements to the football field and outdoor track at De Valois Stadium and the soccer complex. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Sept. 26 for the latest addition, a $3.2 million, 33,000-square-foot indoor athletic practice and training facility. Located just west of the Rowenhorst Student Center and connected to the DeWitt Physical Fitness Center, the building is scheduled to be completed next summer.

Among the accomplishments of Northwestern’s athletics department last year were national playoff appearances by the football, volleyball and women’s basketball teams, as well as several members of the wrestling and track and field squads. The volleyball, women’s basketball and softball teams won or shared conference titles, and Northwestern placed 26th in the NAIA’s national Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup all-sports standings.

“I want to congratulate Barry on this prestigious honor,” says GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra. “He has given much time to task forces, committees and other leadership positions in the NAIA, and to be honored in this way is a special capstone to a tremendous career. His impact at Northwestern, in the GPAC and within the NAIA has been significant. Barry has been a tremendous resource for me and so many others, and I’m pleased to see him recognized in this way.”

Brandt was the 2013–14 and 2006–07 GPAC Athletic Director of the Year. His service to the NAIA included a term as the president of the NAIA Athletic Directors Association in 2011–12.

A 1969 Northwestern College alumnus, Brandt has served the college for more than 31 years. After a year of part-time coaching in the early 1970s, he began full-time employment in 1984 as the head men’s and women’s track coach and assistant football coach. He served as assistant athletic director for four years before taking the department’s helm.