
Young Among 2021 NAADD Honorees
February 18, 2021 | General
Full Release
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WESTLAKE, Ohio (NAADD) - The National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) has announced its 2021 award recipients and former East Carolina Educational Foundation (Pirate Club) Executive Director Dennis Young was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Young's time at East Carolina University began as a football student-athlete in 1969 and that experience helped enhance his role as a development officer by knowing first-hand the importance of the student-athlete experience. Throughout his 21 years at ECU, he was most known for the significant role he played in the growth of ECU Athletics through his tireless work ethic and his ability to build and maintain relationships with alumni, fans, donors and peers.
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Among his achievements at ECU, Young oversaw a capital campaign that helped fund not only the expansion of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, but the completion of the Murphy Center and state-of-the-art Clark-LeClair Baseball Stadium. In addition, over the course of his career in Greenville, the Pirate Club saw significant growth from $500,000 to $4 million in support for student-athlete scholarships.
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They were also able to raise $50 million in capital gifts for various project expansions for athletics facilities, including the Smith-Williams Basketball Center. Young also had the opportunity to organize, coordinate and work on the Smith-Williams Basketball Center as the last capital project he led before he retired in 2012.
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The ECU Pirate Club would not be at 10,000+ members without the leadership, loyalty, and dedication from Young. He left a lasting mark at East Carolina, specifically the Pirate Club, by cultivating significant growth in donations through his dedication developing a strong fundraising team.
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The Association plans to honor Young in person at the 2022 NACDA & Affiliates Convention in Las Vegas.
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Young's time at East Carolina University began as a football student-athlete in 1969 and that experience helped enhance his role as a development officer by knowing first-hand the importance of the student-athlete experience. Throughout his 21 years at ECU, he was most known for the significant role he played in the growth of ECU Athletics through his tireless work ethic and his ability to build and maintain relationships with alumni, fans, donors and peers.
Â
Among his achievements at ECU, Young oversaw a capital campaign that helped fund not only the expansion of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, but the completion of the Murphy Center and state-of-the-art Clark-LeClair Baseball Stadium. In addition, over the course of his career in Greenville, the Pirate Club saw significant growth from $500,000 to $4 million in support for student-athlete scholarships.
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They were also able to raise $50 million in capital gifts for various project expansions for athletics facilities, including the Smith-Williams Basketball Center. Young also had the opportunity to organize, coordinate and work on the Smith-Williams Basketball Center as the last capital project he led before he retired in 2012.
Â
The ECU Pirate Club would not be at 10,000+ members without the leadership, loyalty, and dedication from Young. He left a lasting mark at East Carolina, specifically the Pirate Club, by cultivating significant growth in donations through his dedication developing a strong fundraising team.
Â
The Association plans to honor Young in person at the 2022 NACDA & Affiliates Convention in Las Vegas.
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