Lord Named AD of the Year

In the fall, Harold "Skip" Lord '80 was named the American Mideast Conference (AMC) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Region IX Athletic Director (AD) of the Year. It is the fourth time that Lord has won the regional honor. Among the accomplishments he was cited for were sending 28 different teams to NAIA national tournaments in his 13-year tenure, serving on the NAIA Strategic Planning Task Force and enhancing the facilities and programs at Houghton.

"I feel honored to be chosen for this award," Lord said, "because it is reflective of the strength of our entire athletics department. We work hard together to do things the right way so that we can represent Houghton well."

Lord came to the college in 1987 as head coach of both volleyball and women's basketball. In 1990 he took on additional duties as assistant athletic director, and in 1993 he became athletic director. In 1996 he became co-director of the basketball camps and in 1998 was named associate vice president for athletics and conferences. He stopped coaching the volleyball team after the 1994 season, but continues to coach women's basketball—this year he won his 300th game.

Lord has been active in the NAIA at the conference, regional and national levels, modeling his expectation that the 23 coaches and staff members of Houghton's athletic department "give back to the profession."

During his tenure, Lord has overseen monumental changes to the college's athletic facilities, including the building of the Alumni Athletic Complex, the development of Houghton's "Field of Dreams" and the additions of a fitness center and a weight training room to the Nielsen Physical Education Center.

Lord is the sports ministry coordinator for Global Partners, the missions department of The Wesleyan Church. He has led and coordinated many international sports ministry trips, including the 2006 "Brno Sports Blitz," when 83 athletes and coaches representing eight teams from four colleges and universities visited the Czech Republic.