CLEVELAND —The National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) is proud to announce its 2026 award recipients.

The 2026 NAADD Award recipients are: 2026 NAADD Jason Galaska Rising Star Award, Jordan Burbank of Texas A&M University–San Antonio; 2026 NAADD Fundraiser of the Year, Matt Schaeperkoetter, Assistant Vice President of Advancement for Athletics at the University of Oklahoma; 2026 NAADD Lifetime Achievement Award, Doug Smith, Assistant Athletics Director and Director of Development at Baylor University; and the 2026 NAADD Fundraising Team of the Year (Inaugural), the Tommie Athletic Fund at the University of St. Thomas.

"This year's honorees represent the very best of our profession — individuals and teams who are not only achieving remarkable fundraising outcomes, but who are also elevating the student-athlete experience and strengthening their institutions for decades to come," said NAADD President Grant Kelly, Senior Associate AD and Executive Director of Development at Johns Hopkins University. "Jordan, Matt, Doug and the team at St. Thomas each embody the innovation, integrity, and passion that define NAADD. It is an honor to recognize their achievements on a national stage."

Jason Galaska Rising Star Award - Jordan Burbank
Texas A&M University–San Antonio's Jordan Burbank has been named the 2026 Jason Galaska Rising Star Award recipient. Burbank has led transformational growth in both the university's annual fund and athletics fundraising initiatives. Over the past year, she nearly doubled the athletics donor base—from 82 to 163 donors—and increased the average gift size from $217 to $235. She also launched the university's first-ever giving society, the JClub, securing 40 founding members in its first year, and elevated major fundraising events such as the Jaguar Classic, which saw a 175 percent revenue increase under her direction.

College Fundraiser of the Year - Matt Schaeperkoetter
The Fundraiser of the Year honor goes to Matt Schaeperkoetter, Assistant Vice President of Athletics Advancement and Senior Associate Athletics Director at the University of Oklahoma (OU). Schaeperkoetter personally raised more than $115 million in 2025 and led the Sooner Club to a record-setting $157 million raised in FY26 within just six months—surpassing the prior all-time record by over $40 million. He played a key role in securing the largest gifts in OU Athletics history and guiding the philanthropic vision for the university's landmark $450 million west side stadium renovation project. His contributions have resulted in five of the department's best fundraising years since 2021.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Doug Smith
NAADD proudly recognizes Doug Smith with the Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring more than 50 years of distinguished service in athletics development. Most recently, Smith served as Executive Director of the Bear Foundation and Associate Athletic Director at Baylor University, where he dedicated 22 years of his career. His professional journey also includes significant tenures at SMU (10 years) and Oklahoma (6 years), among other institutions. A founding member of the NAADD Executive Committee, Smith has held impactful leadership roles at seven institutions nationwide, leaving a lasting legacy in collegiate athletics development. You can't walk up and down University Parks without seeing Doug Smith's impact on Baylor," said Baylor Vice President and Director of Athletics Doug McNamee. "So many of the first-class facilities and scholarships Baylor has been able to offer our student-athletes are a direct result of his commitment and service. It is so great to see him recognized with this well-deserved award. On a personal note, I'll forever be thankful for the chance to work under Doug and for the valuable guidance he provided me." Smith directed Baylor's transformative "Building Champions" campaign, raising over $500 million for facility growth, scholarships, and program enhancement. A two-time national fundraising honoree—1990 National Athletic Fundraiser of the Year and 2011 NAADD Fundraiser of the Year—Smith is widely credited with pioneering the volunteer team fundraising concept, which expanded donor networks and reshaped engagement strategies across the industry.

Fundraising Team of the Year Award (Inaugural) - University of St. Thomas
The Tommie Athletic Fund at the University of St. Thomas has been selected as NAADD's Inaugural Fundraising Team of the Year. During the 2024-25 academic year, the team raised more than $20.8 million and recorded a 17 percent increase in total donors, including 439 new supporters of Tommie Athletics. Signature initiatives included Tommie Give Day, which generated over $1.2 million from 717 donors, and the Purple Party & Auction, which raised more than $712,000. The team also completed fundraising for the $131 million Lee & Penny Anderson Arena and established nine new endowed scholarships since the university's historic transition to to NCAA Division I.

About NAADD: NAADD is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities, enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics, and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of athletics development and fund raising. For more information about NAADD, please visit www.naadd.com. NAADD is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 61^st year. For more information on NACDA and the 19 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.