Taft’s Kanoe Bandy named Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year

CLEVELAND - The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) recently announced the 28 winners of the Under Armour AD of the Year Award (ADOY), including Taft College athletic director and women's volleyball head coach Kanoe Bandy.

The award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior College/Community Colleges) across the nation. Bandy was one of four community college recipients nationwide and one of just three from the state of California to earn the honor.

"The California Community College Association would like to extend our congratulations to Kanoe Bandy, Director of Athletics at Taft College for being selected as a 2018-19 Junior/Community College Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year," said Carlyle Carter, Executive Director & CEO/President of the CCCAA. "Ms. Bandy is an outstanding professional and must be tireless because she is consistently volunteering to serve on committees within our Association. I can think of no one more deserving of being recognized as a recipient of the Under Armour AD of the Year Award."

The ADOY Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.

Winners will receive their awards during the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, June 11 at NACDA's 54th Annual Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.

"The athletics directors who have been recognized as part of the Athletics Director of the Year Program continue to raise the bar as thought leaders and decision makers in college athletics," said Bob Vecchione, NACDA Chief Executive Officer. "In 2019, we are proud to honor the highest number of female athletics directors with this award in a given year — nine — since the ADOY program was initiated 21 years ago! This is a true testament to the positive changes happening across the landscape of college athletics."

Bandy began her career at Taft College in 1987 as a business instructor and women's volleyball coach. In 1994 Taft dropped the entire athletic program and she stayed to teach in the business department.

In 1996, the volleyball program was reinstated. Bandy returned to volleyball and it was then that she took on the responsibility of athletic director with the main task of reinstating the athletic program.

Bandy has been the secretary and treasurer to the CCC Women's Volleyball Coaches Association for over 20 years. She is a Taft College representative on the Central Valley Conference Board of Directors. Bandy has also served on Management Council as the water polo representative as well as the membership chairperson and treasurer for the CCCADA.

All NACDA-member directors of athletics in the United States, Canada and Mexico who met the criteria were eligible for the award. Among the criteria were service as an AD for a minimum of five academic years; demonstration of commitment to higher education and student-athletes; continuous teamwork, loyalty and excellence; and the ability to inspire individuals or groups to high levels of accomplishments. Additionally, each AD's institution must have passed a compliance check through its appropriate governing body (i.e., NCAA, NAIA, etc.), in which the institution could not have been on probation or cited for a lack of institutional control within the last five years during the tenure of the current athletics director.

Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents and conference commissioners, as well as other respected intercollegiate athletics administrators. Special Divisional Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award. A complete listing of Selection Committee members can be found on NACDA's website at www.nacda.com