Centor Honored as NACDA Athletics Director of the Year
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Josh Centor, Carnegie Mellon University's associate vice president of Student Affairs and director of athletics, physical education and recreation, has been named a recipient of the 2024-25 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Athletics Director of the Year Award. This honor celebrates Centor's outstanding leadership, dedication to student-athletes, and transformative impact on the Carnegie Mellon athletics program.
"I am incredibly honored to be recognized as a NACDA Athletics Director of the Year, but this award is truly a reflection of the exceptional people I have the privilege of working with every day,” said Centor. “Carnegie Mellon’s success is the result of an outstanding administrative team, world-class coaches and dedicated student-athletes who continuously strive for excellence both in competition and in the classroom."
Under Centor's leadership, the Tartans reached unprecedented success during the 2023-24 academic year. Carnegie Mellon achieved its highest ranking in the Division III Learfield Directors' Cup standings, finishing 13th nationally. The women's golf team made history by capturing the NCAA Division III Championship, marking the first national title for a women's team in school history and the second overall. In addition, 30 student-athletes earned All-America recognition, reflecting the depth and competitiveness of the university’s athletic programs.
"I am deeply grateful to the university’s senior leadership for their unwavering support of intercollegiate athletics and for recognizing the critical role athletics plays in the overall student experience at Carnegie Mellon,” Centor added. “This recognition is a celebration of what we have built together, and I look forward to continuing to push this program forward alongside such an incredible team."
A major milestone during Centor's tenure has been the planning, design and opening of the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness, and Athletics in the fall of 2024. The nearly $100 million, 160,000-square-foot facility is a transformative addition to Carnegie Mellon’s campus, providing student-athletes with state-of-the-art resources to enhance their training and performance. The center features a new competitive arena, practice gymnasium, field house, golf training area, varsity weight room, team locker rooms and a sports medicine suite. Beyond athletics, the facility integrates University Health Services(opens in new window), Counseling and Psychological Services(opens in new window), wellness programs, and religious and spiritual life initiatives, reflecting a holistic approach to student well-being.
Centor also played a key role in strengthening the university’s athletic landscape by overseeing Carnegie Mellon’s integration into the Centennial Conference as an associate football member. This move has elevated the competitiveness of the football program while increasing the university’s visibility on a national stage.
"The rise of Tartan Athletics is attributable to Josh's indefatigable Tartan spirit, his deep care for the success and well-being of our student-athletes, and a fierce orientation to competing at the highest level," said Vice President for Student Affairs Gina Casalegno(opens in new window). "He is a mentor to his coaches and administrative staff, empowering them to achieve greatness with our students. Josh has developed relationships with alumni spanning the decades and has built a culture of engagement and support that is helping to secure a bright future for Tartan Athletics. We are so proud of all that he has accomplished and I look forward to all that is to come under his continued leadership of our program."
The NACDA Athletics Director of the Year Award, now in its 27th year, recognizes athletics directors across all levels of collegiate athletics for their commitment to student-athlete success, institutional growth, and community impact. Centor will be formally recognized at the 60th Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention in Orlando, Florida, on June 10.
