Jan 29, 2010 9:17:38 AM

The Division III Commissioners Association is remembering a founding member by creating a new award bearing his name.

The Dennis Collins Career Achievement Award, named for the late executive director of the North Coast Athletic Conference, will be presented occasionally to a conference executive who "best exemplifies the leadership, dedication and service" shown by Collins during his 25-year tenure as a commissioner.

The award will be presented when deemed appropriate by the DIIICA executive committee to "recognize and honor extraordinary career achievement in guidance, commitment and duty to Division III and the Division III Commissioners Association."

Collins served as the organization's third president from 1994 to 1996, in addition to serving in numerous other national roles including as a member of the NCAA Council before federation of the Association's governance structure.

"Dennis was one of the founding members of our association, so we felt creating this new award was a worthy tribute to his legacy," said Chris Martin, commissioner of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and DIIICA past president.

Collins, who died last June, was serving on the Division III Nominating Committee at the time and also had served on the Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee. During the 1990s, he served on the Division III Task Force to Review the NCAA Membership Structure, which helped lay the groundwork for federation of the Association.

Martin said the award will not be presented regularly, as is true with the annual DIIICA Meritorious Service Award, but on "special occasions" when the organization's executive committee believes the honor is appropriate.