CLEVELAND (May 6, 2026) – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced that The Coca-Cola Company has been selected as the 2026 Robert Vecchione Corporate Partner Award recipient.

The partnership between NACDA and The Coca-Cola Company spans more than 20 years, with its beginnings rooted in the Coca-Cola All-Americans program recognizing student-athlete community service. More recently, the company has established a familiar presence at NACDA's Mid-Winter Meetings in January and the NACDA & Affiliates Annual Convention in June.

"The Coca-Cola Company has been a trusted annual sponsor across all of NACDA's events for many years," said NACDA Chief Executive Officer Pat Manak. "As the industry continues to change, Coca-Cola's support of our Association has not wavered. NACDA is proud to honor our friends at Coca-Cola with the Robert Vecchione Corporate Partner Award as we look forward to the next 20 years."

"We're honored to be recognized by NACDA with the Robert Vecchione Corporate Partner Award. NACDA has been a cornerstone partner for more than 20 years, and we've valued our collaboration in advancing student-athletes and the broader collegiate athletics community. We're proud of our legacy and look forward to building on it," said Jake Archey, Senior Director, Colleges & Universities Strategy, The Coca-Cola Company.

The Coca-Cola Company will be formally recognized as the winner of the Robert Vecchione Corporate Partner Award in conjunction with the 61^st 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 Robert Vecchione Corporate Partner Award was established in 2023, in recognition of Chief Executive Officer Emeritus Bob Vecchione and his three decades of service to NACDA. The award recognizes a corporate individual, organization, sponsor or company that has displayed unwavering support to NACDA and its members, exhibiting a commitment to the betterment of intercollegiate athletics through their tireless efforts and professionalism.

Vecchione retired December 31, 2022, after serving NACDA as CEO since 2011 and multiple senior roles in the organization since 1992. Prior to taking over as CEO, Vecchione was responsible for orchestrating the growth and management of the Association, both internally and externally. One of the cornerstones of his career with NACDA is the establishment of NACDA's corporate sponsorship structure that has been significantly enhanced over the past three decades.

For the most up-to-date information surrounding #NACDA26, visit nacda.com/convention.
 
About NACDA: Now in its 61st year, NACDA is the professional and educational Association for more than 24,000 college athletics administrators at more than 2,300 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. NACDA manages 19 professional associations and four foundations. In addition to virtual programming, NACDA hosts and/or has a presence at seven major professional development events in-person annually. The NACDA & Affiliates Convention is the largest gathering of collegiate athletics administrators in the country. For more information, visit www.nacda.com.