Release courtesy of the Southwestern Athletic Conference
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Dr. Dennis E. Thomas has been selected as the recipient of the 2021 SWAC Lifetime Achievement Award. Thomas, a graduate of Alcorn State University, currently serves as Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
During his collegiate playing career, Thomas was a standout offensive lineman at Alcorn State where he was a two-time Pittsburgh Courier All-American (1972 and 1973), and was named SWAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1973 – the first and only offensive lineman to win the award. Thomas was a member of the Braves’ 1970 SWAC championship team, and his teams went a combined 27-8-1.
He is currently in his 20th year as Commissioner of the MEAC, following a period of nearly two decades that has seen the conference remain financially stable, strengthen institutional compliance and improve student-athlete graduation rates. In the process, he has gained the distinction as one of leading collegiate athletics administrators in America.
The steady leadership of Thomas has reassured the league’s student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans alike that their health and safety take precedence over athletics competitions, in keeping with the MEAC’s motto of “Educating Student-Athletes for the Game of Life.”
The MEAC celebrated its Golden Anniversary in 2020-21, celebrating 50 years since its founding in 1970. Under Thomas’ guidance, the conference continues to be a pacesetter even during a global pandemic.
Thomas is scheduled to be formally recognized at the 2021 SWAC Hall of Fame, presented by Pepsi, on Friday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. EST at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta, Ga.