KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy will be in Pittsburg, Kansas, this Saturday to present former Pittsburg State University President Dr. Steve Scott with the 2026 Meritorious Service Award from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA). The presentation will take place during the second quarter of the Gorillas’ Homecoming game against Missouri Western. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Carrie Smith Stadium.
 
Former Pittsburg State University President Dr. Steve Scott was one of six former NCAA Division II administrators to receive the 2026 D2CCA Meritorious Service Award. Scott was joined by former Missouri Southern coach and athletics director Sallie Beard, former conference commissioner Dave Brunk, former university chancellor Dr. Sandra Jordan, and former athletics directors Larry Marfisem and Kim Vinson. For more information on the individuals honored, click here.  
 
Dr. Scott, an alumnus of Pittsburg State University, served as the ninth president at his alma mater from 2009-2021. For the past three decades, Scott served the university in every leadership capacity possible: as a faculty member in the College of Education, chair of the Department of Special Services and Leadership Studies, dean of the College of Education, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and as the university's provost.

During Dr. Scott's tenure as president, the campus saw some of the most ambitious building projects in its history, including the funding and completion of the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, Block22 mixed-use district, the Plaster Indoor Athletics Center, and the expansion of the Overman Student Center. Beyond his service to Pittsburg State, Dr. Scott held seats on numerous regional and national councils and boards, including serving as a member (2012 - 2016) and chair (2016) of the NCAA Division II Presidents Council, and as the chair of the MIAA CEO Council (2019-2021). During his time leading the MIAA CEO Council, Dr. Scott helped the Association navigate the issues and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he helped implement numerous health and safety league-wide protocols to allow the MIAA to be one of the first NCAA conferences to return to practice and competition in the fall of 2020. 

Dr. Scott has lived a life of purpose, and he has been committed to serving others. During his tenure, he was a respected leader in intercollegiate athletics, and his understanding of the role and purpose of intercollegiate athletics, and his unrivaled enthusiasm for the student-athlete experience provided opportunities for athletics service and his eventual election to leadership roles for both the NCAA and the MIAA. Dr. Scott continues to be a champion to the principles outlined in "Life in the Balance." 
 
Commissioner Racy will present Scott with the D2CCA Meritorious Service Award during the second quarter of Pitts State’s 2 p.m. kickoff against Missouri Western in Pittsburg, Kansas. MIAA fans can watch the action live, exclusively on theMIAANetwork.com.

ABOUT THE D2CCA: 
Initiated in 1992 to promote its member conferences and institutions, D2CCA has made its mark in providing a united front for NCAA Division II athletics. Created after the breakup of the College Division Commissioners Association, D2CCA continues to create lines of communication and opportunities for its member conferences. The D2CCA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 62nd year. For more information on NACDA and the 19 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.