Cory Aadland, CMAA, athletic director at Mitchell High School in Mitchell, South Dakota, received the 2024 NIAAA State Award of Merit. He was given the award during the South Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (SDIAAA) state conference held on March 28, 2024.

Aadland has been an athletic administrator for eight years and is very involved at the local, state, and national levels. In the NIAAA, he is a member of the Certification Committee, a national faculty instructor for Leadership Training Course (LTC) 511, and an NIAAA U Executive Leadership Cohort mentor.

For the SDIAAA, Aadland is a Leadership Training Institute (LTI) coordinator, a member of the SDIAAA Executive Committee, and secretary for the SDIAAA 1st Strategic Plan. He also serves on the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) Tennis Advisory.

In the Eastern South Dakota Conference, Aadland served as vice president for 2021-2022 and is currently their president until the end of his term in 2024.

At Mitchell, he helped update their stadium and install artificial turf. The project totaled $1.2M, with fundraising covering $450,000. Furthermore, Aadland developed Kernel Kouncil, a student athlete leadership committee for Mitchell High. He also helped bring in the district’s first strength & conditioning coach.

This annual award is provided by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) to an athletic administrator from each state for recognition of meritorious dedication to high school and middle school athletics.