BOSCA Founder Abbott Selected for NACDA Hall of Fame

NACDA announced today that BOSCA Founder Jim Abbott will be inducted into their Hall of Fame during the 2023 convention.

Abbott founded the Business of Small College Athletics (BOSCA) in 2012 and has grown the organization’s offerings to now include year-round professional development opportunities for non-D1 athletic administrators. BOSCA provides an annual summer workshop, two virtual training academies (Leadership and Revenue Generation), regional events, and a plethora of other relevant professional development programs designed to spotlight the efforts of administrators in smaller athletic departments. BOSCA is the only professional development organization focused on non-D1 institutions.

Abbott served as Director of Athletics at Oklahoma City University (OCU) for 19 years before retiring in December 2021. He has worked in athletics and higher education administration for over 30 years, including a previous stint at OCU as assistant athletics director from 1991-94.

In competition, Oklahoma City achieved sustained success under Abbott's watch, including capturing the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup on three occasions, capturing 48 team national championships, and winning at least one team national championship every year of his tenure.. Throughout Abbott's time as athletics director, the Stars placed in the top-15 of the Directors’ Cup rankings every year.

Abbott oversaw the growth of the OCU athletics department through the implementation of several new sports on campus. OCU added men's and women's cross country and track & field, volleyball, men's and women's rowing, men's and women's wrestling, competitive cheerleading, competitive pom/dance and STUNT under his guidance, bringing OCU's athletics offerings to 22 varsity intercollegiate programs.

Abbott spearheaded fundraising efforts that resulted in more than $20 million in new facilities and renovations including the Ann Lacy Softball Stadium, Brian Harvey Field, the Devon Boathouse, the Knight Strength and Conditioning Facility and the Jim Wade Athletic Office Suite. Abbott also spearheaded efforts of the Champions Club, OCU's athletics booster club, and the department's largest annual fundraising event, the Sports Spectacular dinner and auction.

Abbott was recognized twice as the NAIA National Athletics Director of the Year (2008-09, 2016-17), was a three-time NACDA Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year (2009-10, 2014-15 and 2017-18), and was named the Sooner Athletic Conference Athletics Director of the Year on six occasions, the last time in 2018-19. In 2017-18, he was inducted into the OCU Athletics Hall of Fame.

During his time in the AD chair, Abbott’s committee service included: the NAIA Membership Committee, Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Executive Council, chairman of the NAIA Hall of Fame Selection Committee, member of the Greater Oklahoma City Sports Consortium, and a Board member for Chi Alpha Sigma National Student-Athlete Honor Society. Abbott previously served as President of the NAIA Athletics Directors Association, was a member of the NAIA-ADA Board of Directors, and a member of the NAIA National Administrative Council. He was a member of the NACDA Executive Committee from 2015-19.