Haverhill, MA (March 16, 2026) – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics has named Northern Essex Community College Athletics Director Dan Blair as one of its 2026 Athletic Director of the Year (ADOY) Award recipients.  NACDA announced the 28 winners ADOY today. The award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions, and Junior College/Community Colleges).

NECC Director of Athletics Dan Blair

The ADOY Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.

“NACDA is once again proud to recognize an impressive class of Athletics Directors of the Year who are strong, inspiring and innovative in the way they lead and serve others,” said Pat Manak, NACDA chief executive officer. “For an award that spans almost three decades, we continue to honor both rising stars and industry veterans who make an impact across an ever-changing industry.”

It’s been another banner year for NECC Athletics, and the spring season is just getting underway. The men’s soccer team won its first-ever national tournament match, finishing the season in fifth place. The women’s basketball and volleyball teams both made it to post-season play. And, just this past weekend, the men’s basketball team became the first team in college history to win a national title. They defeated Dallas-Richmond College to secure the NJCAA DIII National Championship on Saturday.

Blair, a lifelong Newburyport resident, took the helm of NECC’s athletics program in the fall of 2017. He previously won the ADOY award in 2022.

Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 61st Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., at the beginning of the Association-Wide Featured Session on Tuesday, June 9, starting at 4 p.m.

The ADOY Award program is in its 28th year and has recognized a total of 633 deserving athletics directors to date.

Northern Essex currently has 13 athletic teams for men and women. Each year, many students successfully transfer to four-year institutions, where some continue their athletic careers at the Division 1, 2, and 3 levels. To learn more about athletics at NECC, visit the webpage.