(pictured with son and Alabama Athletics Director Greg Byrne, wife Marilyn, and LEAD1 President and CEO Tom McMillen)
The Homer Rice Award is presented annually to an FBS Director of Athletics.
Criteria for the award:
The recipient:
- Must have served as a Director of Athletics for at least 10 years
- Must have made significant and meaningful contributions to intercollegiate athletics
- Must have been retired from an FBS Athletics Director’s position for at least one year
Previous recipients:
| 1989 | Dick Schultz | Director of Athletics, University of Virginia Executive Director, NCAA |
| 1990 | Bill Flynn | Director of Athletics, Boston College |
| 1991 | John Clune | Director of Athletics, Air Force Academy |
| 1992 | Don Canham | Director of Athletics, University of Michigan |
| 1993 | Gene Corrigan | Director of Athletics, University of Virginia Director of Athletics, University of Notre Dame Commissioner, Atlantic Coast Conference |
| 1994 | Glen Tuckett | Director of Athletics, Brigham Young University |
| 1995 | Cedric Dempsey | Director of Athletics, San Diego State University Director of Athletics, University of Houston Director of Athletics, University of Arizona Executive Director, NCAA |
| 1996 | Carl James | Director of Athletics, Duke University Director of Athletics, University of Maryland Commissioner, Big Eight Conference |
| 1997 | Bump Elliott | Director of Athletics, University of Iowa |
| 1998 | Dave Hart, Sr. | Director of Athletics, University of Missouri Director of Athletics, University of Louisville Commissioner, Southern Conference |
| 1999 | Mike Lude | Director of Athletics, Kent State University Director of Athletics, Auburn University Director of Athletics, University of Washington |
| 2000 | Jim Jones | Director of Athletics, The Ohio State University |
| 2001 | Frank Windegger | Director of Athletics, Texas Christian University |
| 2002 | Dr. Gene Hooks | Director of Athletics, Wake Forest University Executive Director, D1A Athletics Directors Association |
| 2003 | Jack Lengyel | Director of Athletics, University of Missouri Director of Athletics, U.S. Naval Academy |
| 2004 | Tom Butters | Director of Athletics, Duke University |
| 2005 | John Swofford | Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina Commissioner, Atlantic Coast Conference |
| 2007 | Vince Dooley | Director of Athletics, University of Georgia |
| 2008 | C.M. Newton | Director of Athletics, University of Kentucky |
| 2009 | Andy Geiger | Director of Athletics, The Ohio State University Director of Athletics, University of Maryland Director of Athletics, Stanford University |
| 2010 | John Toner | Director of Athletics, University of Connecticut |
| 2011 | Mike Cleary | Executive Director, NACDA |
| 2012 | Todd Turner | Director of Athletics, University of Washington Director of Athletics, Vanderbilt University Director of Athletics, North Carolina State University Director of Athletics, University of Connecticut President, D1A Athletics Directors Association |
| 2013 | Bob Bowlsby | Director of Athletics, University of Iowa Director of Athletics, Stanford University Commissioner, Big 12 Conference |
| 2014 | Jim Livengood | Director of Athletics, Washington State University Director of Athletics, University of Arizona Director of Athletics, University of Nevada – Las Vegas Executive Director, D1A Athletic Directors Association President, D1A Athletic Directors Association |
| 2015 | No awardee | |
| 2016 | Dr. Mike McGee | Director of Athletics, University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics, University of Southern California Director of Athletics, University of South Carolina |
| 2017 | DeLoss Dodds | Director of Athletics, Kansas State University Director of Athletics, University of Texas (men’s sports) President, D1A Athletic Directors Association |
| 2018 | Bill Byrne | Director of Athletics, Texas A&M University Director of Athletics, University of Nebraska Director of Athletics, University of Oregon |
