Mr. John Turek at the 2017-18 HIU Senior Banquet
JOHN TUREK NAMED GSAC ATHLETICS DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
HIU | Mon, Jun. 18, 2018
ALISO VIEJO, CA – Hope International University is proud to announce that Mr. John Turek, the Athletics Director at HIU, has been named the 2017-18 Athletics Director of the Year for the Golden State Athletic Conference.
"John has been one of the key voices in our conference this year," GSAC Commissioner Mike Daniels said of the award. "He is looked to quite often by others for advice and he has the big picture in mind when it comes to league decisions."
The Athletics Director of the Year award is awarded annually by the GSAC in recognition of the accomplishments during the previous year in the areas of athletics administration and service to the conference and the NAIA. The recipient is also put forward for consideration by the NAIA for the national Athletics Director of the Year award.
"John's leadership has transformed intercollegiate athletics at HIU," President Dr. John Derry remarked after Mr. Turek was selected by the GSAC for the award. "He is a role model to both coaches and athletes challenging them to give their best effort in competition and most importantly to becoming men and women of Christian character."
During the 2017-18 season, each varsity team in the HIU Athletics Department qualified for the postseason in its respective conference – a first for the department in the school's 90-year history. Seven teams made it to at least the semifinals in the GSAC, while men's volleyball reached the semifinals in an NAIA unaffiliated grouping. Baseball, Softball, and Men's Soccer each played for their respective GSAC Championship in 2017-18.
Dr. R. Mark Comeaux, Vice President of Student Affairs at HIU, also recognized Mr. Turek's leadership and influence on the continued upward trajectory of the department. "I appreciate and am thankful for the work our coaches have done to lift HIU to the level of excellence and success on both the courts and fields. This does not happen by chance. Along with the coaches' success, much of this is done through the leadership of the Athletic Director by facilitating the needs for both the coaches' success and the university's success. John understands the needs of the students, coaches, and the university. He has led his department strategically to accomplish these achievements in the athletic contests and in the lives of the athletes. We are proud of John and this leadership here at HIU."
On behalf of HIU Athletics, we at HIU offer our congratulations to Mr. Turek on this accomplishment and look forward to another season coming soon in 2018-19!
