Mark Hollis may be just No. 58 on the list of highest-paid athletic directors in the country, but he’s No. 1 in the hearts of at least one influential media entity.
In a press release, Michigan State announced that its athletic director, Mark Hollis (pictured, left, with Mark Dantonio), has been selected as the 2012 Athletic Director of the Year by the SportsBusiness Journal. Hollis, coming to the end of his fifth year on the job, was one of five finalists for the honor, with the others being Temple’s Bill Bradshaw, Michigan’s Dave Brandon, Arkansas’ Jeff Long and Baylor’s Ian McCaw.
“It’s very humbling to receive an honor like this,” Hollis said in a portion of his statement. “Individual awards are difficult to accept in higher education and athletics; however, they do recognize the innovation and teamwork necessary to achieve success. I value working with people at Michigan State University, the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA in providing educational opportunities for our student-athletes and engagement through sports for our alumni and supporters.”
The release detailed the myriad athletic achievements during the 2011-12 academic year that helped land Hollis this year’s honor, including the Spartans football team claiming the first-ever Legends Division title and playing in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game:...Michigan State became bowl eligible for a school-record fifth consecutive year and finished ranked No. 10 in the final USA TODAY Coaches Poll after tying the school single-season record with 11 wins, including a dramatic 33-30 triple-overtime victory over Georgia in the 2012 Outback Bowl.
Michigan State’s men’s basketball team captured a share of the conference regular-season championship and won the 2012 Big Ten Tournament title. The Spartans advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the 10th time in the last 15 seasons. During Hollis’ tenure, MSU has appeared in 15 consecutive NCAA Tournaments – the longest current streak among Big Ten schools and the third longest in the nation.
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Overall, eight sports participated in their respective team NCAA Championships, while individuals competed in five more NCAA Championships. The Spartan volleyball team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007, while the women’s basketball team earned its fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The women’s cross country team placed 16th in the NCAA Championships – its best finish since 2008. After two rounds of the NCAA Championships, the women’s golf team sits in tie for 21st place. Thirty-one members of the MSU track and field team have qualified for the upcoming NCAA Regionals, and this weekend, the women’s rowing program will make its 14th appearance in the 15-year history of the NCAA Championships in this sport.Hollis becomes the fifth winner of the SBJ’s award, joining Texas’ DeLoss Dodds (2011), Ohio State’s Gene Smith (2010), Oklahoma’s Joe Castiglione (2009) and Wake Forest’s Ron Wellman (2008).