IRVING, Texas  (Sept. 11, 2015) – Michigan State athletics director Mark Hollis will be honored with a National Football Foundation (NFF) On-Campus Salute this Saturday, Sept. 12, in East Lansing, Mich., during the game between the Spartans and Oregon. Coverage of the game will start at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

In June, the NFF named Hollis the 2015 recipient of the John L. Toner Award, which is presented annually to an athletics director who has demonstrated superior administrative abilities and shown outstanding dedication to college athletics and particularly college football.

“Under Mark’s guidance, Michigan State has continued to excel both on and off the field,” said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. “Since Hollis took over in 2008, the Spartans football program has achieved national prominence and the athletics department has seen substantial growth. His accomplishments place him at the forefront of his profession and make him truly worthy of this prestigious honor. We are happy to honor him in front of the Michigan State faithful at Spartan Stadium.”

A 1985 Michigan State graduate, Hollis returned to his alma mater in 1995. Since then, he has been a critical component of the athletic department executive management staff, helping guide the department through short- and long-range plans. Officially named athletics director by Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon in 2008, Hollis made an immediate impact on Spartan Athletics.

Prior to his official appointment as athletics director, Hollis spearheaded the effort to hire Mark Dantonio as football coach, which has resulted in a school-record eight consecutive bowl appearances and two Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013). In 2014, Michigan State won 11 games for the fourth time in five seasons, finishing with a thrilling 42-41 victory over Big 12 Co-Champion Baylor in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. In 2013, the Spartans enjoyed its winningest season ever (13-1) after defeating Pac-12 Champion Stanford in the 100th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO. Three Spartans have been recognized as NFF National Scholar-Athletes under Hollis’ leadership, including quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2011, linebacker Max Bullough in 2013 and punter Mike Sadler in 2014.

Spartan athletic facilities have been upgraded at an unprecedented rate under Hollis, including more than $100 million in renovations at Spartan Stadium. A $24.5 million project to the north end of stadium was completed in August 2014 that features a two-story, 50,000-square-foot addition as well as an entrance plaza, renovated gates and additional restrooms and concessions. The building includes new locker rooms for teams, coaches and officials, a media center, and an engagement center for all varsity sports. Prior to the 2012 season, $10 million scoreboards, totaling 13,300-square-feet, were installed in the north and south end zones, giving Michigan State one of the top video board systems in the nation.

Since Hollis’ official appointment as athletics director, Spartan teams have won 27 Big Ten Championships and one NCAA Championship (women’s cross country in 2014), appeared in three Final Fours and seven bowl games. Individually, 271 student-athletes earned All-Big Ten honors across all sports in the 2014-15 academic year. The graduation success rate under Hollis is an impressive 87 percent.

Prior to returning to Michigan State, Hollis served as the assistant commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference and as an assistant and associate athletics director at the University of Pittsburgh. He was named the 2012 Athletics Director of the Year by Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal/Daily. Hollis earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Michigan State in 1985, where he served as a basketball team manager under Jud Heathcote. In 1992, he earned his MBA from the University of Colorado.

In addition to his On-Campus Salute, Hollis will be honored at the 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City along with the recipients of the other NFF Major Awards. In addition to the presentation of the NFF Major Awards, the 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner will provide the stage for the induction of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class; the presentation of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments; and the bestowing of the 26^th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments, to the nation’s top scholar-athlete. For more information, please contact Will Rudd at wrudd@footballfoundation.com or by calling 972-556-1000.

The other 2015 NFF Major Award winners include former revolutionary kicking brothers Charlie and Pete Gogolak (NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award), the Voice of the LSU Tigers Jim Hawthorne (NFF Chris Schenkel Award for excellence in broadcasting) and the yet-to-be announced recipients of the NFF Gold Medal and NFF Distinguished American Award. The NFF will also present NFF Legacy Awards at the event to former SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and former Big 12 Senior Associate Commissioner for Football Donnie Duncan.

This year’s College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: Trev Alberts (Nebraska), Brian Bosworth (Oklahoma), Bob Breunig (Arizona State), Sean Brewer (Millsaps [Miss.]), Ruben Brown (Pittsburgh), Wes Chandler (Florida), Thom Gatewood (Notre Dame), Dick Jauron (Yale), Clinton Jones (Michigan State), Lincoln Kennedy (Washington), the late Rob Lytle (Michigan), Michael Payton (Marshall), Art Still (Kentucky), Zach Thomas (Texas Tech), Ricky Williams (Texas) and coaches Bill Snyder (Kansas State) and Jim Tressel (Youngstown State, Ohio State). 


About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include FootballMatters.org, the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, PrimeSport, SKP, the Sports Business Journal and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.