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KINGSPORT, Tenn. (May 22, 2023) – Milligan University Director of Athletics Christian Pope was honored as the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Athletic Director of the Year at the AAC conference meetings in Kingsport last week.
Pope, who is concluding his second season at the helm of Milligan athletics, saw Milligan capture nine conference championships and send 11 teams to their respective NAIA National Championships in the 2022-23 academic year. The Buffs claimed eight national titles in men’s and women’s indoor track, women’s swimming and men’s and women’s road cycling this year.
Milligan has already set its single-year record for NAIA All-Americans in 2022-23 and had four College Sports Communicators Academic All-America selections.
Pope served as the AAC Sport Liaison for men’s soccer and the NAIA Liaison to the South Region Ara Ranking Committee for men’s soccer.
Pope also was a 2023 graduate of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) Executive Leadership Institute program.
The award is voted and selected by the athletic directors of the AAC.