Mark Harlan Selected as A.D. of the Year by NACDA
3/27/2023 9:00 AM | General
Utah athletics director recognized in FBS category for unprecedented success of the Utes’ athletics programs in 2022 calendar year
Harlan is one of just four recipients from across the FBS landscape, the association's highest division recognized.
"It's extremely gratifying and humbling to see the tremendous work and the achievements of our student-athletes, coaches and staff be recognized in this way," Harlan said. "The University of Utah is a special place, and I'm grateful to lead our organization during a time of such extraordinary achievement. The commitment and support of President Taylor Randall, the university community, Salt Lake City, the State of Utah and our great fans make it truly a great time to be a Ute! I am honored to be part of the Utah Family."
The Utah athletics department is flourishing in Harlan's fifth year at the helm, enjoying unprecedented success in the classroom, competition and community—three areas Harlan identified as priorities in his introductory press conference upon his hire in 2018. Utah's nearly 600 student-athletes continue to set records for academic performance, both in grade-point average and graduation rates, while winning championships at a rate never before seen in the school's Pac-12 membership era.
University of Utah President Taylor Randall congratulated Harlan on receiving the 2022-23 Cushman & Wakefield AD of the Year Award.
"Mark's steady guidance has anchored a department that has endured great tragedy and emerged stronger and more accomplished both on and off the field," said Randall. "I am very happy for Mark. His leadership style, and vision to build a culture that keeps the best interests of our student-athletes front and center has earned him this award."
Under Harlan's leadership, Utah Athletics also has enjoyed record-breaking success in fundraising, and continues to see growth in facilities and in services that elevate the student-athlete experience, steadily positioning Utah Athletics as a national power in intercollegiate athletics. His focus on student-athlete mental health services has resulted in more than doubling the number of full-time staff in this important area.
The 2021-22 school year was Utah's most successful since joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2011. Among the Utes' athletics highlights:
- The most teams qualified for NCAA Championships competition or a bowl game (8) in school history;
- The Utes had four teams win conference championships (including two Pac-12), the most in one school year for Utah since joining the Pac-12;
- The Utah football team won its second consecutive Pac-12 Championship and played in the Rose Bowl for the second year in a row. Utah has played in four of the last five Pac-12 Football Championship Games;
- A national championship for the Utah Ski team, its third in a row under head coach Fredrik Landstedt, Harlan's first head coach hire at Utah in 2018;
- Utah Gymnastics finished 3rd at the 2022 NCAA championship meet—it's second consecutive top-3 finish—and achieved its second consecutive Pac-12 championship;
- Utah earned its highest ranking through the final 2022 Winter standings in the Learfield Director's Cup since 1997-98, ranking 25th in Division I, second among all Pac-12 schools behind Stanford. The final 2021-22 standings also saw Utah garner its highest finish since '97-'98, placing 44th.
- The Utes' 93-percent Graduation Success Rate in the most recent NCAA GSR report (Nov. 2022) tied for the fourth-highest among all Power 5 public institutions, and tied for second in the Pac-12, while marking the fifth year in a row with a score of 93 percent or higher.
- The department's five highest average semester GPAs have come in the last six semesters, as the Utes' student-athletes recorded a 3.329 in Spring 2022 (fourth-highest all-time) and 3.328 in Fall 2022 (fifth-highest all-time).
- Utah also excelled in the most recent NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) report, with four teams earning perfect multi-year marks of 1000, and nine teams earning perfect 1000 single-year scores for the 2020-21 report released in June 2022.
Harlan was recognized not just for quantifiable athletics and academic success, but for his particular skill and expertise in leading Utah Athletics to such success in the emergence from the devastating impacts of the pandemic shutdown and in the aftermath of unimaginable tragedy, with the deaths of three student-athletes over a period of three years. The award's selectors considered Harlan's compassion, resiliency and steady guidance that helped student-athletes, staff, families and the campus community cope with incredible grief, while keeping the department moving forward.
The Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year Awards program, in partnership with NACDA, was created in 1998-99 to honor intercollegiate directors of athletics for their commitment and administrative excellence within a campus and/or college community environment over the course of the last year. The award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior/Community Colleges) and annually honors 28 athletics directors (four from each division). AD of the Year Award recipients will be publicly recognized during the 2023 NACDA Convention in June.
Congratulations to @MarkHarlan_AD on being named the Cushman & Wakefield ?????????????????? ???????????????? ???? ?????? ????????, announced today by @NACDA!
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) March 27, 2023
Thanks for all you do for the U and for our student-athletes!https://t.co/1qL2ooZP1L#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/CETlrO7AXh
Congratulations @MarkHarlan_AD @utahathletics well done! #GoUtes! https://t.co/lf0cd67ycL
— Taylor Randall, UofU President (@PresidentUofU) March 27, 2023
Amazing Leader and Boss. Truly an honor to work for @MarkHarlan_AD @utahathletics @UUtah Thank you for making us better everyday. #inspiring #committed2excellence https://t.co/xlQ1xdinAg
— Charmelle Green (@charmelle44) March 27, 2023
#MarchMadness isn't over yet ... ????
— NACDA (@NACDA) March 27, 2023
Announcing the 2022-23 @CushWake Athletics Directors of the Year! ????
Read more about these AD role models from across the country who will be recognized at #NACDA23: https://t.co/8Ii3GIHAMX pic.twitter.com/vJjnX65F9B
Congratulations @MarkHarlan_AD ?? https://t.co/FHwq5Anx4p
— Utah Women's Basketball (@UTAHWBB) March 27, 2023
BIG TIME. Awesome to get the recognition for the excellence achieved across all areas of our department thru the leadership and vision of @MarkHarlan_AD !! https://t.co/CdS3TDPCK4
— lynne roberts (@UtesCoachRob) March 27, 2023
Our AD is the Cushman & Wakefield Athletic Director of the Year! Congratulations, @MarkHarlan_AD. Well-deserved!! https://t.co/8rjQkhbdEW
— Kyle Whittingham (@UtahCoachWhitt) March 27, 2023
Best there is ???? We are incredibly fortunate to have him lead our department. Thanks for all you do @MarkHarlan_AD!! #GoUtes https://t.co/wgsesmevFw pic.twitter.com/jChjbWCy62
— Hideki Nakada (@iHidekiSan) March 27, 2023
Congratulations to @MarkHarlan_AD for this great honor. The unprecedented success @utahathletics is experiencing didn't just happen! Very well deserved ????????????????????????????????? https://t.co/cbsAXk4Wfo
— Beth Launiere (@CoachLauniere) March 28, 2023
Congratulations @MarkHarlan_AD! https://t.co/qOI5cc8eYE
— Crimson Club (@CrimsonClub) March 27, 2023
