Carl Heinrich Position: Director of Athletics Institution: Johnson County Community College

The leader behind one of the nation's more successful athletics programs, Carl Heinrich begins his 11th season as athletics director at Johnson County Community College. Heinrich has guided JCCC through some of the school's most dynamic times since assuming the position as JCCC's fourth athletics director in the fall of 2000. Heinrich has been associated with Johnson County, either as a coach or administrator since the fall of 1991. He oversees a 42-year-old department that now fields 18 varsity sports, and continues to lead the Johnson County Community College athletics program in a positive direction.

The hallmark of Heinrich's time as the JCCC's athletics director has been the overall excellence of his entire program, with every Cavaliers' sport achieving a new pinnacle. During his tenure at Johnson County Community College, the Cavaliers have claimed eight of the school's 10 NJCAA National Championships, 51 NJCAA Region VI titles and 50 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Eastern Division titles. Additionally under Heinrich's guidance, a total of 124 teams have earned NJCAA National Tournament berths, with 45 finishing among the top-five nationally.

Along with the unprecedented on-the-field successes, JCCC also reached new heights in the classroom. During the past 10 years, Johnson County student-athletes have earned 121 NJCAA Academic All-America accolades. JCCC led the country with 16 individual earning Academic All-America status, and in 2006-07 and in 2009-10 JCCC student-athletes earned a record 21 honors, which was second best in the country. Also, nearly 50 percent of the student-athletes at JCCC maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

Heinrich is also holds a professional membership in the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and serves on the executive committee representing two-year colleges. Heinrich also served three years as treasurer for the National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators, one year as second vice president, and this year was named President of NATYCAA for the 2009-10 academic year. Heinrich also served three years as the assistant Region VI director for women's athletics, and this fall he will begin his third year as Director of Region VI women's athletics.

Heinrich arrived at JCCC in 1991 after serving as head baseball coach at Highland Community College. A 1978 graduate of the University of Kansas, Heinrich was a former co-captain for the Jayhawks baseball team and served as a graduate assistant.

Heinrich earned his master's degree from Northwest Missouri State University in 1985. Heinrich and his wife, Debbie, have three sons: Kyle, Cal, and C.J.