CLEVELAND – The Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) has announced the recipients of the third annual 2026 Excellence in Officiating Awards. The Excellence in Officiating Awards represent a pioneering effort to recognize outstanding referees across NCAA Division II. From Conference Carolinas, baseball umpire Steven Grady was recognized.

Grady has spent 24-years as an official, including eight years at the collegiate level. In that time, Grady has worked the Conference Carolinas Baseball Championship five times, including as the crew chief on four occasions. On the national level, he has umpired three NCAA regional championships and one super regional.

Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Steven has embraced a significant leadership role within our staff. He is committed to mentoring developing umpires, contributing to training initiatives, and helping raise the overall standard of officiating. His leadership is steady, intentional, and rooted in a genuine desire to see others succeed.

D2 CCA RELEASE

The awards will be presented to one male and one female official that officiate in NCAA Division II Championship Regions. Awards are presented by the gender of the official regardless of the sport officiated. 

Conference offices solicited nominations from the conference supervisor of officials and selected one male and one female to submit for the regional award. Upon receipt of all nominees, voting was conducted by the commissioners within each of the following regions – Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, Southeast, South Central and West – to select the following regional winners.

In addition to this initiative, the D2 CCA previously created the following strategic programs aimed at transforming the landscape of sports officiating and address current challenges by creating recognition and recruitment opportunities.

• Officials Appreciation Week acknowledges officials across all sports seasons – fall, winter and spring – highlighting their critical role in maintaining integrity and fair competition.
• Collegiate P2R (Player-to-Ref) Program targets recently graduated student-athletes, helping educate potential officials about the rewarding opportunities in sports officiating, creating a sustainable pipeline of qualified professionals.

These efforts reflect the deep commitment the D2 CCA has homed in on to elevate the status of sports officials, by creating structured recognition and celebrating those who ensure fair play and maintain the highest level of standards for athletics competitions.