The Mid-Central College Conference has selected Grace College's Chad Briscoe as the 2010 MCC Athletic Director of the Year.  Briscoe has been behind several programs' success and has made a number of improvements to Grace's athletic budget, department, facilities and academic achievement in his first three years at the helm of Lancer athletics.

"This award is a direct reflection of the athletic support from the administration at Grace College and the strong coaching staff within the department," Briscoe said. "I appreciate Dr. Ron Manahan and Dr. Bill Katip for giving me the opportunity to serve at Grace."

Under Briscoe, Grace's athletic department had a lively schedule in the 2009-10 season. Grace hosted the NCCAA Women's Division I National Tournament for the second year in a row, secured itself as the host of the tournament from 2009-2011, arranged its first Big 10 basketball game in school history (Grace vs. Indiana University, Nov. 4), and hosted NCCAA Regional events in baseball, softball and volleyball. This summer, Grace hosted the Kosciusko County basketball hall of fame induction banquet and later this month will host the BPA World Series Opening Ceremony.

Athletic aid has also vastly increased, and several facility improvements have been erected during Briscoe's short time at Grace. He has helped secure a 25 percent increase in aid for student athletes, partially due to the redevelopment of the Lancer Athletic Club, and has also helped raise funds for the softball team's press box, scoreboard and the volleyball team's pristine team room for the upcoming season. 

He has added four soccer fields for practice and summer camps at Miller Field, and a remodeled area for coaches' offices in Grace's Gordon Recreation Center, used for team meetings and recruiting purposes. Briscoe oversees all athletic events, including those that take place in Grace's Orthopaedic Capital Center, the newest facility in the state of Indiana and one of the finest gymnasiums in the NAIA.

Within the athletic department, he has implemented an annual coaches' retreat each year for the entire staff and Champions of Character development for all coaches. Student athlete numbers have increased overall every year since Briscoe joined Grace's athletic department three years ago.

Academically, the Lancers had 11 NAIA Scholar Teams, 14 Daktronic Scholar Athletes, 32 NCCAA Scholar Athletes, two NCCAA Scholar Teams and one LeRoy Walker MCC recipient in graduate Kyle Plumlee during the 2009-10 season.

A number of teams also saw groundbreaking success this past year on the field. The women's soccer team recorded their best record in school history (14-6-3) and advanced to the NCCAA National Tournament for the first time in a decade under head coach Michael Voss. Lancer nation also witnessed freshman Michael Blevins, one of Briscoe's recruits, earn the No. 1 singles MCC tournament title and junior MariJean Wegert win the 800-meter at the MCC conference meet.

The men's soccer team also posted a regular season winning record (8-7-1) for the first time in six years under head coach Matt Hotchkin, whom Briscoe hired, the men's tennis team finished 6-5 after a 2-10 record the year before, and the men's baseball team tied the all-time record for most wins in a season (21). In 2008 and 2009, the men's basketball team had back-to-back Elite Eight appearances at the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since 1993.

Grace's prized athletic director is the MCC's Chair for the NAIA's Champions of Character committee, the NCCAA's DI Midwest Region Chair, Vice-President of the CCAC (City County Athletic Complex) and serves as the coordinator for the Interstate Church Softball Tournament, which raised funds for mission work in Paraguay.

 "I want to personally thank J.D. Collins (MCC Commissioner) and all the athletic directors within the MCC conference for this award," Briscoe continued. "It is a blessing to work in such a highly respected conference within the NAIA that cares about impacting lives through the arena of athletics."