MOORHEAD, Minn. (5/20/09)--- Longtime Concordia coach and administrator Bob Nick earned the 2009 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Distinguished Service Award it was announced by the league office.

Nick becomes the third person from Concordia to earn the award in the past nine years. Concordia has produced the most MIAC Distinguished Service Award winners in the nine-year history of the honor. Former Cobber Athletic Director Armin Pipho received the honor in 2003 and former Sports Information Director Jerry Pyle earned the award in 2001.

The MIAC Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to their institution and to the conference. The award is the highest honor bestowed upon an individual from the MIAC.

Nick has served as an Assistant Director of Athletics at Concordia for over 25 of his 43 year career at the college. This included a one-year term as interim Director of Athletics in 2002-03. Nick coached football, basketball, and tennis while at Concordia. Most notably as a student-athlete, Nick quarterbacked Concordia's 1964 National Championship team and later as offensive coordinator, he called plays for the 1978 and 1981 National Championship teams. As an administrator, he was in charge of student work and facility management at Concordia.

He maintained a strong reputation with local high schools as both a basketball official and event manager for high school basketball tournaments held in Concordia's Memorial Auditorium. He set a standard of professionalism in training student work personnel that resulted in Concordia having a wonderful reputation as an event host. Nick will be retired at the end of the 2008-09 school year.