WINONA LAKE, Ind. - For the second time in his impressive career, Grace's Director of Athletics Chad Briscoe has been named the NACDA Athletic Director of the Year for the NAIA.

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) selects award winners across every level of collegiate athletics. The winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 61st Annual NACDA Convention on June 9 in Las Vegas.

The award highlights the efforts of athletics directors for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and surrounding communities.

"I'm truly honored and humbled to be recognized alongside so many outstanding athletic directors in our field. This award reflects the dedication and effort our coaches and student-athletes demonstrate every single day," Briscoe said. "I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity we have at Grace to represent and share Christ through the platform of athletics."

Briscoe is in the midst of his 17th year guiding Grace's athletic department. He is a five-time Crossroads League AD of the Year, and will be honored with his second AD award from NACDA. He was also the NAIA's NACDA award winner in 2022.

The Lancers have enjoyed a surge of success under Briscoe's leadership. Prior to his arrival, Grace had won two national championships in school history. But since 2019, Grace has brought home 21 national titles in 10 different sports.

The Lancers have enjoyed strong success already this school year. Three programs earned a host bid for NAIA First and Second Rounds (women's soccer, men's soccer, men's basketball). 

Grace's volleyball team won the NCCAA national title for the third consecutive season. Women's cross country placed 10th at the NAIA National Championships.

Two teams have won Crossroads League Tournament championships (women's soccer, men's basketball), not to mention a multitude of team and individual records across Grace's varsity sports.

Briscoe is heavily involved in NAIA leadership. He has been a member of the National Administrative Council (NAC) for several years, including serving as chair for three years. For six years he was on the NAC's Executive Committee, chairing the Championships and Competition Committee for three years. He currently serves as the past president of the Executive Committee.

He has also served on the NAIA Men's Basketball Selection Committee, which selects and seeds the national tournament teams, since the NAIA merged basketball into a single division.

Briscoe has been an integral part of the NCCAA's leadership as well. He is in the final year of a three-year term as the NCCAA's President and has spent nine years overall serving in a leadership position within the NCCAA.

Under his leadership, the Lancers have made academic success a priority. Every Grace varsity team has achieved NAIA Scholar-Team status for nine consecutive years, including a department record for overall GPA in 2024-25 (3.49).

Briscoe has also become a voice of leadership for character-building in athletics in the region. He has initiated several Sportsmanship Summits for local high school conferences to build character training and camaraderie among rival schools. As a result, he has been asked to speak at numerous venues statewide to inspire the same character-based education.

"We are incredibly thankful for Chad and the leadership he brings to Grace College's athletic department," said Grace College President Dr. Drew Flamm. "This honor from NACDA is a testament to the culture he has built – one marked by competitive excellence, academic achievement and a commitment to using athletics as a platform to impact lives for Christ."