OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) has named Johnson County Community College's Tony Tompkins as a recipient of 2025-26 NACDA Athletic Director of the Year Award, the organization announced today. He will be recognized in conjunction with NACDA's 61st Annual Convention at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas on Tuesday, June 9.
Tompkins is one of four award recipients this year from Junior/Community College institutions. In all, only 28 recipients were honored from more than a thousand institutions across NCAA, NAIA, junior college and community college classifications.
"To be recognized by NACDA and honored alongside so many outstanding athletic directors from across the country is truly special. I'm grateful for the opportunity to represent Johnson County Community College and the incredible work our coaches, staff and student-athletes do every day."
This marks the second time a JCCC athletic director has received the award, now in its 28th year. Former AD Carl Heinrich earned the honor in 2007-08.
The AD of the Year Award recognizes athletics directors who have shown administrative excellence over the course of the last year through their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and the surrounding communities.
First introduced as JCCC Director of Athletics on August 19, 2022, Tompkins is in his fourth year with Johnson County athletics in 2025-26. In a short time at the helm, he has already made an indelible and lasting impact on Cavalier athletics.
Over his tenure, JCCC athletic teams have produced one national championship, three national runner-up finishes, nine top-5 finishes, 20 national tournament berths, 18 Region 6 titles, 17 conference championships and 25 of the possible 26 teams to date over his term have ended the year ranked in the final NJCAA Poll.
Individually under his leadership, JCCC teams have produced 31 NJCAA All-Americans, two national players of the year, three national coaches of the year, 145 All-Region 6 selections, 180 All-KJCCC performers, 13 conference coaches of the year, 26 NJCAA Performers of the Week and 240 KJCCC Performers of the Week awards.
Academically, the department produced eight College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® At-Large College Division selections with Jordan Harrison of the softball team (2023) and Emily Crosby of the women's soccer team (2025) being selected the CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year. In 2022-23 Alan Lopez of the men's soccer was named the United Soccer Coaches Men's Junior College Scholar Athlete of the Year along with earning CSC Academic All-America® At-Large. In his first three years at JCCC, 42 athletes (17 men, 25 women) have earned CSC Academic All-District At-Large, and 175 student-athletes have been recognized as NJCAA All-Academic performers.
Tompkins brought extensive experience as athlete, coach and athletic administrator when he arrived on campus. Before accepting the JCCC position, Tompkins served as athletic director at Kansas City Kansas Community College. While leading KCKCC athletics, Tompkins became a respected member of the Region 6 and NJCAA leadership group.
He served as assistant women's Region 6 director from 2015-2021 and currently serves as Women's Region 6 Director. He also serves as NJCAA D-II Women's Basketball chair (2001-Present), is a member of the NJCAA D-I Women's Soccer Committee (2015-Present) and participates in the National Alliances of Two-Year College Administrators (2013-Present). Before taking over as chair of the Women's DII Basketball he served six years on the committee (2015-21). Also, during that span, he served on the NJCAA D-II Softball Committee and in 2018-19 he Kansas Community College Leadership Institute participant.
After beginning his tenure at KCKCC in April 2013, Blue Devil athletic teams won three Kansas Jayhawk Conference titles, 11 NJCAA Region 6 titles and made 13 appearances in NJCAA National Championship tournaments. The women's basketball program captured national championships in 2016 and 2019, along with three top-five and six top-10 national finishes. Additionally, 21 student-athletes earned NJCAA All-America honors across eight different sports, and 25 teams were recognized as NJCAA All-Academic.