AACC’s athletic director won the Athletic Director of the Year Award for Region 20 in September.

Athletic directors from the 24 colleges in the region recognized Duane Herr for the award. This was the first time he has received the nomination since becoming athletic director almost 10 years ago.

“It’s a tremendous feeling, obviously,” Herr said. “To be recognized by my peers as an A.D. of the Year, it’s a great feeling and very humbling, [I’m] very proud to receive the honor.”

This is the first year the annual Carol Eustis Award is a regional honor as opposed to a statewide award.

The National Junior College Athletic Association award recognizes “professional and program excellence in academics, sportsmanship and athletics, as well as contributions to Region 20 and professional development,” according to the NJCAA.

“I always prided ourselves on the sportsmanship aspect, professionalism, really trying to promote that to our student athletes,” Herr said. He added he is heavily involved with Region 20 as the men’s assistant director and as a member of the NJCAA’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Herr played baseball at AACC and Towson University. He started his career at AACC as an athletic assistant 13 years ago.

Men’s lacrosse head coach Jeremy Ross says Herr deserves the award.

“I think it’s super, super well-deserved,” Ross said. “He’s not only a great A.D. but he’s just a really good person overall. … “I think it’s something that he could win every year.”

AACC student athletes agreed.

“I think he deserves the award,” said soccer player Garrett Collett, a first-year education student who plays defense. “He has done a lot for our team. We’ve been through some tough times already this season and he’s stuck his neck out for us time and time again.”

Baseball pitcher Zach Ford said Herr’s dedication goes beyond the playing field.

“He’s in study hall with us every day and I can definitely tell that he’s involved and he’s doing good at his job,” Ford, a second-year business student, said.