Goodrich wins Lifetime Achievement Award
Lynda Goodrich, the longtime athletic director at Western Washington University, has been named the winner of the 2014 NCAA Division II Athletics Directors Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
Goodrich, who retired in 2013, served for 26 years as Western's director of athletics; during her tenure the Vikings won nine team national titles, the only ones in school history, and she guided the program in stepping up from the NAIA to NCAA Division II.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to athletics directors who have exemplified superior achievement during their careers at the Division II level.
"Lynda led Western Washington to unprecedented success during her 26 years at the helm of the Vikings," stated D2 ADA president Anita Barker, director of athletics at Chico State. "The D2 ADA looks forward to honoring her accomplishments at the June Convention."
Goodrich has been an icon, not only on the Western Washington campus, but also nationally. In addition to the nine team titles, WWU captured another nine individual national titles under Goodrich's leadership, and the school posted five straight top 15 finishes (2008-13) in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup and five straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-sports titles.
Goodrich is no stranger to the coaching ranks either, having coached golf, tennis, track & field, volleyball and basketball during her tenure. She coached women's basketball for 19 seasons, compiling 411 wins with no losing seasons and five national tournament appearances.
Goodrich was instrumental in rebuilding and reshaping the WWU athletics program, helping raise funds for a strength and fitness center, softball field upgrade and the installation of a multi-purpose field, while introducing an annual fund drive, auction and golf tournament to help raise funds for scholarships. Softball and golf were added as varsity sports for women and attendance increased across all sports during her tenure.
She has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the NAIA HOF in 1996. Nationally, she earned NACDA West Region Athletics Director of the Year honors in 2006 and was named WWU's Sports Impact Person of the Century (1900-99).
Currently, Goodrich is serving in her first year as the Special Assistant to the Vice President/Athletic Fund Raising.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the most prestigious award presented by the D2 ADA. To be eligible for this award, a person must be at least 60 years old, or have spent at least 25 years in collegiate athletics, with a majority of those years as an AD. The honoree may be currently in the profession or retired. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes athletics directors who, over the course of his/her career, have made an exemplary contribution to Division II athletics and the student-athlete experience.
The D2 ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division II athletics directors. For more information about the D2 ADA, please visit www.div2ada.com. The D2 ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 49th year. For more information on NACDA and the 13 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
