Nov. 12, 2012

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - Prior to the Maryland-Kentucky game on Friday, November 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Maryland Director of Athletics and NACDA President Kevin Anderson presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Mike Cleary for his emeritus service to college athletics. NACDA, the largest association of collegiate athletics administrators, was founded in 1965, and Mr. Cleary served as Executive Director from that point until his retirement in June, 2011. In addition, Mr. Cleary also served as director of championship events for both the NCAA and NAIA.

At halftime of the Kentucky-Maryland game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Murray Abrams, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development for Capital One Bank and Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark presented a generous donation to the John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Foundation. Accepting the donation on behalf of the foundation is Mike Cleary, former Executive Director of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and Kevin Anderson, University of Maryland Director of Athletics and NACDA President.

Mr. McLendon was a pioneer in American basketball who made major contributions in the development of the game and was a successful coach in both the college and professional levels. Enshrined in both the Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Mr. McLenndon was a leader and role model for aspiring African-American student-athletes who were interested in pursuing the opportunity to play collegiate basketball

Each year top administrators in the field of athletics will select deserving senior level minority students who intend to pursue a graduate degree in athletics administration.

Mr. McLendon's legacy continues to grow stronger as the John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Foundation has now provided scholarships for more than 70 deserving recipients.