Six of College of DuPage all-time acclaimed coaches will be honored this spring by the NJCAA at its inaugural Coaches Legacy Awards presented by Nufabrx!

All legacy award winners will be recognized at a luncheon June 17 in Charlotte, N.C. The event will be held in conjunction with that evening's NJCAA Hall of Fame and Awards gala.

Those COD coaches honored are: Jim Bowers (men's and women's tennis), Robert Cervenka (men's and women's track and field), Jim Kelly (men's soccer), Don Klaas (men's basketball), the late Bob MacDougall (football) and Jane Vatchev (men's and women's track and field).

Those six have combined to win 22 NJCAA titles with 21 occurring at COD. MacDougall, who coached 21 seasons of football at COD, captured an NJCAA title at fellow-Region 4 member Joliet Junior College in 2002.

NJCAA Coaches Legacy Award recipients and NJCAA championships
Jim Bowers — men's tennis (2003, 2004, 2005); women's tennis (2007, 2008, 2010)
Robert Cervenka — men's track and field (2021, 2022, 2023)
Jim Kelly — men's soccer (1993)
Don Klaas — men's basketball (2002)
Bob MacDougall — football (2002) *
Jane Vatchev — men's track and field (2002, 2003, 2006, 2010); women's track and field (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004)
*at Joliet JC

It marks the first time since 1938 that the NJCAA will recognize the achievements and proud legacy of our coaches, past and present, at one time.

Coaches were selected based on criteria that included NJCAA championships and/or landmark career victories.

NOTE: Criteria used for selection:
Basketball (Men's)............................ 700 career wins (Klaas, 743 @ COD, 94 at Pitt-McKeesport)
Football.............................................      200 career wins (MacDougall, 174 @ COD; 48 @ JJC)
Soccer (Men's)..................................   300 career wins (Kelly, 493 @ COD)                                     
Tennis (Men's)...................................   3 or more NJCAA championships                         
Tennis (Women's)............................. 3 or more NJCAA championships                         
Outdoor Track & Field (Men's....3 or more NJCAA championships                         
Outdoor Track & Field (Women's)...   3 or more NJCAA championships