CLEVELAND, Ohio – Victoria M. "Vicky" Chun, Thomas A. Beckett Director of Athletics, was named as one of 28 winners of the Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Directors of the Year Award (ADOY), as announced by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) on Monday, March 27.
 
The ADOY Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.
 
"The Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year Award has grown to become a universally recognized and respected honor for leaders in college athletics over the last two decades," said Pat Manak, NACDA Chief Executive Officer.
 
Chun is a two-time recipient of this prestigious award; winning it in 2017-18 while she was the athletic director at Colgate University.
 
Chun was appointed Yale's Director of Athletics in February 2018 and assumed the position in July 2018. She is the first woman and first Asian American to serve in this role, with oversight of 35 varsity teams, and over 50 club and intramural sports.
 
Recognized by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal as a "Game Changer," a "Trailblazer of Title IX" by Women Leaders in College Sports, and most recently as a "Trailblazer of Distinction" by the Patriot League and Colgate University for her significant accomplishments, she has earned a stellar reputation as one of the most innovative and widely respected leaders in NCAA athletics.
 
Under Chun, the Bulldogs improved 18 spots nationally in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings in 2021-22. Throughout her five-year tenure, the Bulldogs have won five team national championships and 20 Ivy League titles.  Thus far in 2022-2023, five coaches have earned Coach of the Year honors, nine student-athletes have earned major conference year-end awards, 11 have been named All-Americans, four teams have qualified for NCAA tournaments, and nine individuals have qualified for NCAA Championships in their respective sports and events. Additionally, 31 student-athletes have been recognized scholastically for their work in the classroom.
 
Since Chun's arrival in New Haven, she has helped build and revitalize numerous facilities totaling over $100 million dollars. This past fall saw the unveiling of a brand-new turf and irrigation system and videoboard at Johnson Field, the home of Yale field hockey.  Last year saw the opening of Tsai Lacrosse Field House, home to Yale's lacrosse and soccer teams, which also includes comprehensive athletic medicine, hydrotherapy, and a state-of-the-art weight room. In the John J. Lee Amphitheater, the home to Yale's basketball, volleyball and gymnastics programs, the lighting and court have been updated while adding two video boards. George H.W. Bush '48 Field, the home of Yale baseball, was restored to its historic look while renovating interior areas.  Construction is ongoing for the Lapham Field House at the Smilow Field Center at the Carm Cozza Complex, which will open in Fall of 2024. This completely renovated space will consist of brand-new locker room spaces for Football and Cross Country and Track and Field, athletic medicine, hydrotherapy, and meeting spaces. In addition, Gil Hanse has been retained to lead the Yale Golf Course Restoration Project and create an architectural restoration master plan for the iconic course.
 
Known for her promotion of the student-athlete voice, Chun has revitalized Yale's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and supported the formation of Yale Bulldogs for Change (YBC), which is a leadership team that aims to enhance the varsity student-athlete experience for people of color. In addition, Chun is one of three co-founders of 4AAPI, a non-profit focused on establishing an AAPI community with the world of college athletics and beyond.
 
Nationally, Chun has served as one of 40 members of the NCAA Division I Council, where she was vice-chair of the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee as well as a member of the Division I Football Competition Committee. Chun was a long-time board member and past president of Women Leaders in College Sports, the dominant leadership organization working to advance more women in collegiate athletics. She also served on the Women's Sports Foundation's Annual Salute Gala Committee, which has celebrated women in athletics for over 40 years.
 
Prior to joining Yale, Chun served as the Vice President & Director of Athletics at Colgate University, where she had the distinction of being the first Asian American woman athletic director in NCAA Division I history. Chun is also the only person in Division I history to hold the distinction of winning Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors in the same conference.
 
The award winners will be recognized at the 58th Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla. on Tuesday, June 13.
 
About NACDA
Now in its 58th year, NACDA is the professional and educational Association for more than 22,000 college athletics administrators at more than 2,200 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. NACDA manages 18 professional associations and four foundations. In addition to virtual programming, NACDA hosts six major professional development events in-person annually. The NACDA & Affiliates Convention is the largest gathering of collegiate athletics administrators in the country. For more information, visit www.nacda.com.