Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk was recently honored with two distinguished awards.
Gladchuk was named the Business Leader of the Year by the Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce and the Commodore Barry Award by the Navy League Philadelphia Council.
Gladchuk was awarded the Business Leader of the Year Award by the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce for his work with the city, county, state and neighborhood associations to ensure proper communication and sensitivity to issues that benefit both the NAAA and community at large. The NAAA was awarded the Green Star award by former Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer for commitment to the environment during the ongoing renovation of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Over the past decade over $130 million dollars has been raised in support of the physical mission and intercollegiate athletics by the Naval Academy Athletic Association and Naval Academy Foundation.
Attendance at Navy football games has increased with the success Gladchuk has brought to the Naval Academy. With this increase in attendance, the local economy has felt the positive impact. Gladchuk also helped bring the Military Bowl to Annapolis and over the three previous years the Military Bowl has had an estimated $47 million direct impact on the local Annapolis economies.
The Commodore Barry Award is presented to a civilian who has shown exemplary leadership and support for the sea services. Past recipients include: General Anthony Zinni USMC; The Honorable Donald C, Winter , Secretary of the Navy; Ralph Hooper, Philanthropist & distinguished Naval Academy Graduate; Rear Admiral Wayne E. Mayer , Father of Aegis; Colonel H.C. “Barney” Barnum Jr., USMC (Ret.) Medal of Honor Recipient; Janet & Colonel Tom Manion, USMCR (Ret.) Founders of the Travis Manion Foundation; Admiral Gary Roughead USN (Ret.), 29th Chief of Naval Operations; Rear Admiral Stephen K. Chadwick, USN (Ret.); Ronald D. Castille ,Chief Justice Emeritus and Admiral Jonathan Greenert USN (ret.) 30th Chief of Naval Operations.
Gladchuk, who is in his 17th year as Director of Athletics at the Naval Academy, has overseen a renaissance of the Naval Academy athletic program. His administrative leadership has helped lead the program to one of the most successful periods in school history.
In 2016-17, Navy won 62 percent of their contests, produced 14 All-Americans, four Academic All-Americans, 12 conference coaches of the year, 13 conference athletes of the year and 11 conference championships.
Additionally, Navy won the Patriot League Presidents’ Cup, which is awarded to the member institution with the highest cumulative sports point total based on conference championships and final regular season standings in sponsored men’s and women’s sports, for the fifth time in the last six years.
Navy got it done in the classroom as well with 23 of Navy’s 25 NCAA sponsored teams above the national average for their respective sport in the Academic Progress Report. Additionally, four Mids were named Patriot League Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Gladchuk’s efforts have been recognized on a national level. He was one of four finalists last spring for the Sports Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year award and received the John L. Toner Award from the National Football Foundation in December of 2016, which recognizes an athletics director who has demonstrated superior administrative abilities and shown outstanding dedication to college athletics and particularly college football.
Gladchuk won the Bobby Dodd Athletic Director of the Year Award in 2005. The award is presented in recognition of an athletic director’s support and commitment toward the successful advancement of the department, most specifically in the sport of football. Additionally, he was recognized by the Secretary of the Navy for his contributions and service to the Navy and the Naval Academy with the Superior Public Service Award to the Department of the Navy.
Since being introduced as the Academy’s 28th Director of Athletics on Sept. 4, 2001, Gladchuk has pressed forward on numerous fronts with energy and vision. From the hiring of some of the top coaches in the country to the renovation of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Gladchuk has made improvements in several key areas that will prove more success on the athletic fields for years to come.
During Gladchuk’s tenure at the Naval Academy, he has seen the Midshipmen win 149 conference titles, produce 209 All-Americans and 92 Academic All-Americans.
Gladchuk’s biggest impact on the Naval Academy has been the $64 million renovation of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium where under his leadership the stadium was completely refurbished over a six-year time frame
Gladchuk and the NAAA have also teamed up with the Naval Academy Foundation to raise private funds for facilities such as the Brigade Sports Complex (golf, tennis, hockey and rugby), Max Bishop Stadium (baseball), varsity squash courts, various team locker rooms and a number of practice facilities. Over the past decade over $130 million dollars has been raised in support of the physical mission and intercollegiate athletics.
Other highlights during Gladchuk’s tenure at the Naval Academy include the renegotiation of the Army-Navy contract which resulted in over $46 million to the two schools over an eight-year period, scheduling Maryland, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Army at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore to promote Navy football in the community, negotiating the extension of the Navy-Notre Dame football game television contract with CBS through 2018 and the Army-Navy contract with CBS through 2028 and negotiating bowl deals with the Houston, Emerald, Poinsettia, Meineke Car Care, EagleBank, Texas, Armed Forces and Military Bowls.
Gladchuk is heavily involved with NCAA, the American Athletic Conference and Patriot League committees. He was selected to serve on the NCAA Leadership Council, which is one of the highest NCAA appointments an athletic director can realize. The council helps set the Division I legislative agenda and advises the NCAA regarding major legislative issues being considered.
Gladchuk has been on the NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors) Executive Committee and has served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee in the Patriot League and a member of the NCAA Olympic Sport Liaison Committee.
