Founded in 1959, the NJCAA Service Award is the most tenured honor handed out by the Association. It is given to those - most often not an athlete - who have made significant contributions to two-year college athletics on a national level for an extended period of time. Annually, one Service Award can be reserved for a member of the media. No more than four Service Awards can be presented in a given year. In 2017, the NJCAA renamed the honor to the Mary Ellen Leicht Service Award in recognition of the 28 years of dedicated service by its third Executive Director. Leicht began her journey with the NJCAA in 1989 as an eligibility administrator and was quickly promoted to associate executive director. Her promotion in 2009 to Executive Director made history as she became the first female chief executive of not only the NJCAA but of any national collegiate athletic organization in the United States. After nearly three decades with the Association, Leicht retired from the NJCAA in 2017.
Mary Ellen Leicht Service Award Recipients
| Year | Name | Position | College/Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Greg Witkop | Administrator | CCBC Essex (MD) |
| Megan Aiello | Region 10 Women's Director / Athletic Director | Spartingburg Methodist (SC) | |
| 2022-23 | Carl Heinrich | NJCAA Board of Regents | Region 6 |
| Sherman Forbes | NJCAA Board of Regents | Mesa (A.Z.) | |
| 2021-22 | Brian Beck | Vice President for Compliance & Eligibility | NJCAA National Office |
| LeAnn Cox | Vice President of Operations and Tourism | Visit Hutch | |
| 2020-21 | Tammy Smith | Region 19 Women's Director | Union County (N.J.) |
| Dan Mason | Region 11 Women's Director | North Iowa Area | |
| Marci Henry | NJCAA Senior Women's Administrator | Northeastern (C.O.) | |
| 2019-20 | Kerri-Ann McTiernan | NJCAA Board of Regents | Nassau (N.Y.) |
| Steve Carpenter | Sports Information Director | Hutchinson (Kan.) | |
| 2018-19 | Berdy Kuiken | Region 4 Women's Director | South Suburban College (Ill.) |
| Jerry Smith | NJCAA Board of Regents | Arizona Western College | |
| 2017-18 | Jo Ann Rogers | Region 20 Women's Director | Prince George's (Md.) |
| Bryce Roderick | KJCCC Commissioner | KJCCC | |
| 2016-17 | Thom McDonald | Region 11 Men's Director / Commissioner | Iowa Community College Athletic Conference |
| John Simone | Region 19 Contributor / Athletic Director | Mercer County (N.J.) | |
| 2015-16 | Dudley 'Skip' Bailey | Region 3 Assistant Men's Director / Athletic Director | Monroe CC (N.Y.) |
| Dale Vos | Region 12 Men's Director / Athletic Director | St. Clair County (Mich.) | |
| Tyler Cundith | Sports Information Director | Johnson County (Kan.) | |
| 2014-15 | Jim Southward | Region 23 Men's Director | Mississippi State Board of Community & Junior College Association |
| Cleo Hill | Athletic Director / Basketball Coach | Essex County (N.J.) | |
| Sally Thalken | Volleyball Coach | North Platte (Neb.) | |
| Francis Flax | Athletic Director / Men's Basketball Coach / Coaches Assn. | Brown Mackie (Kan.) | |
| 2013-14 | Jim Cox | Region 8 Assistant Men's Director / Athletic Director | Miami Dade (Fla.) |
| Lowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons | Men's Basketball Coach | Moberly Area (Mo.) | |
| Richard Groch | Baseball Coach | St. Clair County (Mich.) | |
| 2012-13 | Randy Stange | Region 6 Men's Director / Atheltic Director | Hutchinson (Kan.) |
| Augustine Eosso | Athletic Director | Raritan Valley (N.J.) | |
| Art Becker | NJCAA President / Region 1 Men's Director / Athletic Director | Scottsdale (Ariz.) | |
| James Harvey | President | Central Florida / Miami Dade (Fla.) | |
| 2011-12 | Dick Shilts | Men's Basketball Coach | Kalamazoo Valley (Mich.) |
| Dennis Clark | Softball Coach | Kankakee (Ill.) | |
| Mike Pantalione | Men's Soccer Coach / Coaches Association | Yavapai (Ariz.) | |
| Scott Gernander | Athletic Director / Men's Basketball Coach | San Jacinto - South (Texas) | |
| 2010-11 | Wally Reynolds | Region 4 Assistant Men's Director / Athletic Director | McHenry County (Ill.) |
| Timothy Kleinhans | Erie (N.Y.) | ||
| Dr. Dan Kinney | President | Coffeyville (Kan.) / Iowa Western | |
| Don Vescio | CCAC-Allegheny (Pa.) | ||
| 2009-10 | Carol Eustis | NJCAA Vice President / Athletic Director | CCBC Essex (Md.) |
| Walter Hauk | Bowling Coaches Association | Westchester (N.Y.) | |
| Harry Tholen | Baseball Coach / Coaches Association | Santa Fe (Fla.) | |
| 2008-09 | Michael Pelliccia | Region 15 Men's Director / Athletic Director | Nassau (N.Y.) |
| Joe Tubb | Region 5 Men's Director / Athletic Director | South Plains (Texas) | |
| 2007-08 | Ruby Curry | St. Louis-Florissant Valley (Mo.) | |
| Don Jorstad | Northland (Minn.) | ||
| Gene Gifford | Muskegon (Mich.) | ||
| Pat Hicks | Anoka-Ramsey (Minn.) | ||
| 2006-07 | Dennis Perryman | Graden City (Kan.) | |
| William Simpson | John Wood (Ill.) | ||
| Dr. Ronald Whitehead | Jones County (Miss.) | ||
| Gary Barton | John A. Logan (Ill.) | ||
| 2005-06 | Harold Oetting | Region 16 Men's Director / Athletic Director | Jefferson (Mo.) |
| Gary Cole | SUNY-Dehli (N.Y.) | ||
| Jo Ann Rust | NJCAA Vice President / Athletic Director | Pima (Ariz.) | |
| Ralph Galanti, Jr. | Erie (N.Y.) | ||
| 2004-05 | Dr. Bill Auvenshine | Hill (Texas) | |
| Dick Shockey | DII Men's Basketball Championship Director / Athletic Director | Danville Area (Ill.) | |
| Mike Lundgren | Reporter | Thief River Falls & Northern Watch (Thief River Falls, Minn.) | |
| Berdy Kuiken | Region 4 Women's Director | South Suburban (Ill.) | |
| 2003-04 | Jack Cistriano | Prince George's (Md.) | |
| Ron Mann | Prince George's (Md.) | ||
| Lorene Ramsey | Illinois Central | ||
| 2002-03 | Donald Brandt | Southeastern (Iowa) | |
| Joyce Garrett | Georgia Military | ||
| Bennie Lee | Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference | ||
| Anna Van Tassell | Hibbing (Minn.) | ||
| 2001-02 | Lynn Conway | Delta (Mich.) | |
| Ed Hardeman | Region 2 Men's Director / Athletic Director | Connors State (Okla.) | |
| Bob Zifchak | Region 19 Men's Director / Athletic Director | Middlesex County (N.J.) | |
| 1999-00 | Dr. David Pierce | President | American Association of Community Colleges |
| 1998-99 | Dr. Bill Jack Doggett | Assistant Director Region 14 / Athletic Director | Tyler (Texas) |
| Russell Frazier | Baseball Coach | Louisburg (N.C.) | |
| Bill Wirtanen | NJCAA President / Region 13 Men's Director / Athletic Director | Mesabi Range (Minn.) | |
| 1997-98 | Bruce DuBois | Nassau (N.Y.) | |
| Ron Gunn | Southwestern Michigan | ||
| Robert Hamrick | Blinn (Texas) | ||
| 1996-97 | Jim Campbell | Kilgore (Texas) | |
| Martin Dittmar | Ellsworth (Iowa) | ||
| Pete Pisciotta | Glendale (Ariz.) | ||
| Lea Plarski | NJCAA President / NJCAA Vice President Women's Division / Athletic Director | St. Louis-Florissant (Mo.) | |
| 1995-96 | Leroy Dreyer | Blinn (Texas) | |
| Ben Rogers | Middle Georgia | ||
| James Segret | Odessa (Texas) | ||
| 1994-95 | Dr. William Campion | Central Florida | |
| Glenn Dalling | Ricks (Idaho) | ||
| William Holland | Dutchess (N.Y.) | ||
| Phil Speegle | Odessa (Texas) | ||
| 1993-94 | Dorothy Brown | San Jacinto (Texas) | |
| Bill Dyer | Macomb (Mich.) | ||
| Dale Meadors | Garden City (Kan.) | ||
| Henry Witt | Iowa Central | ||
| Jerry Kershaw | Sports Announcer | KWBW (Hutchinson, Kan.) | |
| 1992-93 | David Rowlands | Region 4 Men's Director / NJCAA Board of Directors / Athletic Director | Truman (Ill.) |
| William Tuten | St. Johns River (Fla.) | ||
| 1991-92 | Leo Canaday | Northern Oklahoma | |
| John Sacchi | Middlesex County (N.J.) | ||
| Don Baker | Lees-McRae (N.C.) | ||
| Maxie Boles | Central Alabama | ||
| 1990-91 | Oscar Erickson | NJCAA President | Casper (Wyo.) |
| Betty Jo Graber | Region 5 Women's Director / NJCAA Board of Directors / Women's Basketball Coaches Association | Weatherford (Texas) | |
| Sam Suplizio | NJCAA Baseball World Series Chairman | ||
| 1989-90 | Jermone Chandler | NJCAA Financial Advisor | |
| Paula Ferguson | Triton (Ill.) | ||
| Lucille Wood | East Central (Miss.) | ||
| Dr. Steve Korchek | Mantee (Fla.) | ||
| 1988-89 | Dr. James Van Horn | Region 22 Men's Director | G. C. Wallace (Ala.) |
| James Garrison | Co-Founder of Coastal Football Conference / Football Coach | Chowan (N.C.) | |
| Donna Piper | Region 21 Women's Director | Mount Ida (Mass.) | |
| Prentice Ryan | Region 12 Men's Director | Oakland (Mich.) | |
| 1987-88 | Carvel Jackson | Region 1 Director | Mesa (Ariz.) |
| George Monagan | Athletic Director | Monroe (N.Y.) | |
| Dr. William Causey | Founder Member / President | Alabama Junior College Conference | |
| 1986-87 | Theo Heap | NJCAA President | Mesa (Ariz.) |
| Robert Lake | Orange County (N.Y.) | ||
| Richard Rollins | Mount Wachusett (Mass.) | ||
| 1985-86 | William Goldsmith | ||
| Marvin Behr | Broome (N.Y.) | ||
| Kermit Smith | Martin (Tenn.) | ||
| Wayne Unruh | NJCAA National Office | Hutchinson (Kan.) | |
| 1984-85 | Guy Holt | NJCAA Men's Basketball Championship Chariman | Hutchinson (Kan.) |
| 1982-83 | Ralph Werner | Region 13 Director / Athletic Director | Bismarck (N.D.) |
| Eugene Keefe | Region 15 Director / Athletic Director | Westchester (N.Y) | |
| Thomas Sewell | Region 14 Director / Athletic Director | San Jacinto (Texas) | |
| Ken Roberts | Co-Director of Wrestling Tournament | ||
| Albert Iorio | Athletic Director / Basketball and Baseball Coach | SUNY-Cobleskill (N.Y.) | |
| 1981-82 | Tom Watt | Athletic Director / Football and Track Coach | SUNY-Farmingdale (N.Y.) |
| Bill Connell | Region 10 Director / Athletic Director / Football, Basketball and Golf Coach | Wingate (N.C.) | |
| 1980-81 | Fred Dickerson | Region 10 Director / Football, Basketball, Track and Tennis Coach | Lees-McRae (N.C.) |
| 1978-79 | Bruce Traphagen | Worthington (Minn.) | |
| Dixie Woodall | Seminole (Okla.) | ||
| Grant Longley | Dean (Mass.) | ||
| 1977-78 | Dr. Albert Skinner | Cayuga County (N.Y.) | |
| Orville Gregory | Johnson County (Kan.) | ||
| George Cook | South Georgia | ||
| Edward Badger | Wilbur Wright (Ill.) | ||
| 1976-77 | John Montefusco | Brookdale (N.J.) | |
| Norm Cash | San Angelo (Texas) | ||
| 1975-76 | Donald Schmidt | Hudson Valley (N.Y.) | |
| Richard Baldwin | Broome (N.Y.) | ||
| Joe Turner | Kilgore (Texas) | ||
| Clifford Baker | Reporter | East Texas Sports Report (Kilgore, Texas) | |
| 1974-75 | Joseph Milinovich | Hibbing (Minn.) | |
| Homa Thomas | NJCAA President | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M | |
| James Wychor | Worthington Chamber of Commerce (Minn.) | ||
| 1973-74 | Stan Barron | Reporter / Sports Director | WBEN-TV (Buffalo, N.Y.) |
| Art Stock | Region 13 Director / Athletic Director | Mesabi (Minn.) | |
| Ernest Gould | Region 13 Director and Secretary / Wrestling Coach | Worthington (Minn.) | |
| 1972-73 | C. L. Grovert | Region 13 and 11 Director / Athletic Director / Basketball and Football Coach | Fairbury (Neb.) |
| L.W. Martin | Region 10 Director / Athletic Director / Basketball Coach | Brevard (N.C.) | |
| 1971-72 | Hod Humiston | Basketball Broadcaster | NJCAA |
| 1970-71 | Walter Byers | Executive Director | NCAA |
| William Odgen | Region 12 Director / Basketball, Cross Country and Track Coach | Jackson (Mich.) | |
| Luke Rushton | Athletic Director / Basketball Coach | Young Harris (Ga.) | |
| 1969-70 | J. Paul Shelden | Athletic Director / Basketball Coach | Dodge City (Kan.) |
| Fred Cinotto | Dean | Missouri Southern | |
| James Shenton | President | Erie (N.Y.) | |
| A. A. Elland | President | Hutchinson (Kan.) | |
| Dr. Bruce Carter | President | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M | |
| 1968-69 | Joseph Rockenbach | Region 13 Director / NJCAA Treasurer / Wrestling Committee Chairman | Rochester (Minn.) |
| Louis Ross | Region 8, 17 and 14 Director | Pensacola (Fla.) | |
| Jay Tolman | Region 5 Director / NJCAA Secretary | Mesa (Colo.) | |
| Peter Schloss | Region 4 Director / NJCAA Vice President | Thorton (Ill.) | |
| Harold Steele | Athletic Director | Grand Rapids (Mich.) | |
| 1964-65 | P. F. Wilhelmsen | NJCAA President / Athletic Director | Sequoias (Calif.) |
| Otto Anderson | NJCAA President | Pensacola (Fla.) | |
| Herschel Smith | NJCAA President / Track Coach | Compton (Calif.) | |
| 1963-64 | Cecil Tyrrell | President | Broome Technical (N.Y.) |
| Charles Smidl | Chairman of the Physical Education Department | Wilson (Ill.) | |
| Laurence Spring | President | Erie County (N.Y.) | |
| K.R. Galle | Dean emeritus | Arkansas City (Kan.) | |
| 1960-61 | Henry Brown | Amarillo (Texas) | |
| Horace Wubben | Mesa (Colo.) | ||
| H. A. Dickson | Weber (Utah) | ||
| 1958-59 | George Hoy | NJCAA Board of Directors | Phoenix (Ariz.) |
| Eugene Chaffee | Boise (Idaho) |