The Women Leaders In Sports announced its 2026 award winners and Grand Valley State Director of Athletics, Keri Becker, was selected as one of seven across the country to be named the Nike Executive of the Year. The Nike Executive of the Year Awards are presented to senior-level executive women in the sports industry who are making significant contributions. The Executive of the Year must demonstrate leadership and vision in their role commitment, while also giving cooperation, and allegiance in promoting excellence in sports. In addition, this individual must serve as a positive role model, demonstrate a commitment to professional development and be committed to diversity and gender equity. 
Becker has spent her entire career in intercollegiate athletics spanning almost 30 years and is currently in her tenth year as the Director of Athletics at Grand Valley State. Becker's career has always been on a college campus. She began her journey in 1990 as a softball student-athlete at Saginaw Valley State University, moved into the head softball coaching position in 1996 at yet another rival school, Ferris State University, where she stayed for 15 years. In 2011, GVSU brought her on board as the Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator. 

Grand Valley State has continued its dominance at the Division II level Under Becker's direction, claiming its 32nd overall Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Presidents' Cup title as the league all sports champion and winning the 2025-26 Division II All-sports Learfield/IMG College Directors' Cup crown for the 18th time. Under her leadership she oversaw the construction of the Jamie Hosford Football Center, a new indoor practice golf facility, multiple locker room renovations, and an addition to the Fieldhouse that features a three-mat wrestling room that is home to the newly added men's and women's wrestling programs. The new construction also provided for a 4000 square foot weight room, a new athletic training room, a student-athlete lounge and refueling hub, as well as the new home for the Laker Academic Success Center. In 2026, GVSU Athletics will see an Arena renovation bringing in suites and premium seating for fans, as well as a new Baseball/Softball Indoor hitting facility and locker room. 

Becker was appointed by Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer to the Task Force of Women in Sports that convened 2019-2022. She recently completed her term as a member of the Women Leaders in Sports Board of Directors serving from 2019 – 2025. Currently, she is member of National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Executive Committee, the Collegiate Women Sports Award Board and the West Michigan Sports Commission Board of Directors. She was the Michigan ACE Distinguished Woman in Higher Education Leadership award during the summer of 2022 and in January 2023 accepted the NCAA/MOAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion for GVSU Athletics. Keri was most recently awarded NACDA AD of the Year Award in June of 2026. 

Prior to taking over as the Director of Athletics, Becker served the Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator overseeing all aspects of multiple sport programs. In addition to sport supervision, Becker was responsible for cross campus collaborations, overseeing the financial aid aspect of NCAA compliance, completion of all required institutional reports, fundraising efforts, and assisting with game operations, and oversaw GVSU's Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC). 

Keri is also a military veteran, having served in the United States Army Reserve from 1992-2006, and was called to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom from January 2003-February 2004. She was stationed at Camp As Sayliyah in Doha, Qatar, which was a combined joint forces base.  While stationed there, she worked in both Transportation and then in Supply, where she became the non-commissioned officer in charge of supply for the Headquarters Commandant at Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT). She achieved the rank of staff sergeant and was honorably discharged in October 2006.