General | 1/12/2024 1:02:00 PM

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Former longtime University of Central Missouri Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, the late Jerry Hughes, has been selected as the male recipient of the prestigious 2023 NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Gold Award, it was announced Friday, Jan. 12, during the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix.

This award, which is part of the division's yearlong 50th anniversary celebration that launched Aug. 7 and will extend through the 2024 Division II Baseball Championship in June, honors two individuals (one individual who identifies as male and one who identifies as female) who have made a lasting and positive impact in Division II.

Hughes's wife, Vici Hughes, and his son, Greg Hughes, accepted the award for Hughes on Friday (pictured to the right). 

Hughes served as Central Missouri's vice president for intercollegiate athletics from 1983 until he passed away in January 2023.

Under his leadership, Central Missouri won 179 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association championships and 10 national championships, in addition to having 50 other top-four NCAA finishes and making more than 300 NCAA postseason appearances.

In addition to his success directing athletics at Central Missouri, Hughes held multiple leadership positions in Division II governance, including serving on the NCAA Executive Committee (when that body oversaw all three divisions) and as chair of the Division II Championships Committee. He also served a term as NCAA vice president of Division II and was a member of the NCAA Council (both before the NCAA federated its governance structure in 1997), making him the only person to twice hold the highest-ranking office available to athletics administrators in Division II. After federation, Hughes chaired the Division II Management Council.

Hughes was most recently honored with the CCA Award of Merit, the highest honor presented by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association.

Hughes graduated from Central Missouri in 1971 with a bachelor's degree in physical education, having lettered in golf during his undergraduate studies, and he received his master's degree in secondary school administration from the university in 1979. He joined Central Missouri that same year as a business placement director and became assistant athletics director in July 1981. He was named athletics director in January 1983.

"The influence of Jerry Hughes reverberates throughout Division II. We remain grateful for his leadership in shaping so many of the initiatives and structures we take for granted that benefit all members of the NCAA," UCM President Dr. Roger Best said. "The University of Central Missouri is a better institution today because of his life's work to make intercollegiate athletics better for all students, coaches and staff, and we are proud of this incredible recognition of Jerry's many contributions to Division II and beyond."

Conference offices reviewed the initial pool of 231 nominated individuals and each selected two honorees (one who identifies as male and one who identifies as female). The NCAA Division II Management Council Identity Subcommittee reviewed these finalists and selected the two overall winners.

The conference honorees included current and former student-athletes, coaches, faculty members, commissioners and administrators who helped shape Division II over time.