CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) announced its 2024 recipients of its Meritorious Service Award, honoring the University of Central Missouri's Dr. Paul Engelmann as one of the four recipients. 

The D2 CCA Meritorious Service Award recognizes a commissioner with ten years of service once he/she leaves the position for the time and dedication they have made to Division II and is decided by the full CCA membership upon recommendation by the Awards Committee. In addition, other individuals, including but not limited to conference office staff, institutional staff members, or NCAA staff members are also eligible to be recognized with this award. The intent is to recognize these individuals once they retire or depart Division II; however, if an individual goes above and beyond in service to Division II, in particular, the CCA, they may be recognized even if they are still employed at a Division II conference office or institution.

Paul Engelmann served as the faculty athletics representative (FAR) at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) from 1981-2017. He was a professor of economics at UCM.  His work as FAR allowed him to be heavily involved in the workings of the MIAA and the NCAA. In fact, Paul served as the Parliamentarian for more than 20 Division II business sessions at the NCAA Conventions. Englemann worked under five presidents during his nearly 40 years as the FAR at UCM, he served as the FAR Council chair for the MIAA and he served on numerous MIAA and NCAA committees, including being the chair for many years of the Division II Legislation Committee and he served as Chair of the NCAA Division II Management Council for two years.
 
Engelmann was inducted into the UCM Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. Engelmann has been a leader in the NCAA Governance Structure since Division II gained greater autonomy and independence as a membership division in the mid-1990's. He served as Management Council Chair during an important period of Division II's development and growth, and he continues to serve the Division II membership each January as the Division II Parliamentarian at the Annual NCAA Convention.

Pacific West Conference Commissioner Bob Hogue, Tusculum University's Doug Jones, and former Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Commissioner Greg Moore were also honored with the D2 CCA Meritorious Service Award.