KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Cascade Collegiate Conference Commissioner Rob Cashell has been named the 2026 NAIA Charles Morris Administrator of the Year, earning one of the NAIA's highest individual honors for administrators in recognition of his more than three decades of service to collegiate athletics and his leadership within the CCC and NAIA.
Named in honor of former NAIA Associate Executive Director Charles Morris, the award recognizes administrators who exemplify the loyalty and enthusiasm Morris brought to the NAIA. The honor recognizes administrators across all phases of NAIA athletics, including conference commissioners and other campus and conference leaders.
Cashell has served as Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Cascade Collegiate Conference since 2012, overseeing conference governance, day-to-day operations, championships, partnerships, strategic initiatives and institutional relationships. During his tenure, the CCC has continued to grow through membership development, expanded sport offerings and enhanced championship opportunities.
His impact, however, extends far beyond the Cascade Conference. Cashell has held numerous national leadership positions within the NAIA, including Chair of the National Administrative Council, Co-Chair of the Council for Student-Athletes, and membership on the National RISE committee. He has served as Chair of the Conference Commissioners Association and is the National Administrative Council liaison for men's and women's cross country. He recently served as Chair of the National Student Athlete Experience and Enhancement Committee.
Throughout his 35-year career, Cashell has consistently centered his leadership on the student-athlete experience, sportsmanship, character, and the educational mission of collegiate athletics. His work has included initiatives designed to strengthen sportsmanship and hold coaches and student-athletes to higher standards while creating a stronger culture throughout the conference.
"Rob leads with integrity and honesty and is highly trusted by presidents and athletic directors both within and outside of the Cascade Conference," stated College of Idaho President Jim Everett and Vice President of Athletics Reagan Rossi. "His approach with athletes, coaches, fans, officials and administrators is to treat all with dignity and respect. He listens to all voices and responds thoughtfully to concerns."
That commitment to people has been a defining part of Cashell's tenure. His leadership has helped foster what CCC Council of Presidents members described as a "genuine sense of connectedness" throughout the conference, with his work valued by presidents, athletic directors, coaches, athletic trainers, sports information directors and student-athletes.
"His commitment, creativity, strategic mindset, and cultivation of programs, positive athletic events, and championships, and most importantly people, are central to the conference cohesion the CCC embodies," wrote CCC Council of Presidents President Dr. Cynthia Pemberton and President-elect Dr. Kelly A. Ryan.
Under Cashell's leadership, the CCC has also become a frequent host of major NAIA championship events. During his tenure, the conference has hosted eight NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships and two NAIA Men's Golf National Championships, working alongside host institutions, community organizations, visitor bureaus and national stakeholders to deliver championship experiences for student-athletes.
Before becoming CCC Commissioner, Cashell served as Director of Athletics and Recreation at Eastern Oregon University from 2001–12. He led the university's intercollegiate athletics programs through its transition to exclusive NAIA membership, developed an athletic scholarship program, and oversaw major facility improvements. His career also includes administrative and advancement roles at the University of Montana Western, along with experience in student development, admissions, wellness programming, coaching, and teaching.
The Charles Morris Administrator of the Year Award adds to a career already marked by recognition. Cashell was twice named Cascade Conference Athletic Director of the Year and was selected as the NACDA West Region Athletic Director of the Year during his tenure at Eastern Oregon.
For the Cascade Collegiate Conference, however, Cashell's greatest legacy may be found in the people and institutions he has served.
"Everything Rob does is with a servant leadership mindset and his actions back that up," Everett and Rossi wrote. "He is a very collaborative leader, who has earned the respect of his peers and others throughout the country."
After 35 years of service to collegiate athletics and more than a decade leading the Cascade Conference, Cashell's selection as the Charles Morris Administrator of the Year recognizes not only what he has accomplished, but the character, commitment and leadership with which he has accomplished it.