The University of Akron Athletics
AD Wistrcill Receives Humanitarian Award
AKRON, Ohio — University of Akron Director of Athletics Tom Wistrcill received the 2015 Humanitarian Award during the 25th Annual Harold K. Stubbs Community Awards dinner on Friday evening.
Wistrcill was recognized for pioneering an innovative program to assist dozens of student-athletes as they progress through their time at UA. Lee Gill, Akron's first Associate Vice President for Inclusion & Equity/Chief Diversity Officer, accepted the award at the banquet on behalf of Wistrcill, who was in Cleveland with the Zips' men's basketball team during the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinal game against Buffalo.
When he arrived at Akron five-and-one-half years ago, Wistrcill worked with Chuck Lewis, UA's Director of Student-Athlete Support Services, to launch the Diversity Mentoring Program, which pairs former Zips letterwinners and successful business leaders in the Akron community with current student-athletes to help encourage them to pursue their goals – academically, athletically, and personally – and to prepare for life after college.
"This award is a wonderful tribute to the efforts of so many selfless Zips, especially Chuck and Lee," Wistrcill said. "Of course, the most credit belongs to the roughly dozen alumni who have volunteered their time to help our student-athletes become better students, better athletes and, most importantly, better men and women."
Hosted by the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, the celebratory dinner is named in honor of the late Judge Harold K. Stubbs, recognizes local community leaders who have gone above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others. The celebration also included a presentation of student scholarship awards. Judge Stubbs was an avid supporter of improvements in business, education, government, political /social action, religion, health, and community as well as an active member of the legal community.
In his sixth year as UA's Director of Athletics, Wistrcill has made an indelible impact on the Zips which achieved unprecedented comprehensive success in athletics and academics – while being recognized for effectively managing their budget.
In 2013-14, Akron captured for the first time the Reese Trophy as the Mid-American Conference's top overall men's athletics program, thanks to championship performances by men's soccer (regular season and tournament) as well as men's indoor track and field, and second-place finishes by baseball, men's cross country, men's golf, and men's outdoor track and field. Zips' women's programs also broke through last year, as both women's basketball and women's swimming and diving each won their first MAC championships in school history. Rifle secured three combined team championships in its two leagues.
Under Wistrcill, the Zips have earned 32 conference team titles over the last five-and-one-half years, with nine of Akron's 19 varsity programs contributing to that count during that time. Men's soccer (regular season and tournament), swimming and diving, rifle and men's indoor track and field already have captured conference crowns this year.
Retention and graduation rates, as well as grade-point averages, have risen as the Athletics Learning Center provides UA student-athletes with a first-class academic support program. For the first time in school history, Akron won the Mid-American Conference's Institutional Academic Achievement Award with a 3.14 student-athlete GPA in 2010-11.
The Zips also earned national distinction by capturing the 2011 Excellence in Management Cup, which quantitatively evaluates the financial efficiency of all NCAA Division I athletic departments based on conference and national championships won compared to that department's budget.
In December 2014, Wistrcill was selected as the Mid-American Conference's representative to the newly formed NCAA Council.
