History 
The Donald H. Ecroyd Award for Outstanding Teaching in Higher Education is given to honor an NCA member who exemplifies superlative teaching in higher education. NCA presented the first Ecroyd Award in 1988. The Ecroyd Fund was created with Caroline Drummond Ecroyd grants from NCA.
Selection Criteria
The selection committee is responsible for soliciting and evaluating nominations of qualified individuals. Nominees must hold a master's degree or higher in the speech communication discipline; hold a full-time teaching assignment at an institute of higher education at the time of nomination; and have a superlative teaching record. The award is given for excellence in teaching. Professional achievement as evidenced by research and creative scholarship or service to campus and community shall not be a substitute for this basic requirement. Nominees should be actively involved in other professional activities (e.g., academic advising, forensics, NCA, regional or state offices, community service).
Recipients
1988 Dan F. Hahn, Queens College
1989 Lois Einhorn, SUNY Binghamton
1990 George R. Armstrong, Bradley University
1991 Beverly D. Sypher, University of Kansas
1992 Donald P. Cushman, State University of New York, Albany
1993 Charles J. Stewart, Purdue University
1994 Sheron J. Dailey, Indiana State University
1995 Kenneth L Brown, University of Massachusetts
1996 Lyndrey A. Niles, Howard University
1997 James R. Andrews, Indiana University
1998 George W. Ziegelmueller, Wayne State University
1999 John R. Johnson, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
2000 Lawrence B. Rosenfeld, University of North Carolina
2001 Stephen E. Lucas, University of Wisconsin
2002 John A. Daly, University of Texas
2003 Charles R. Conrad, Texas A&M University
2004 Mark L. Knapp,University of Texas
2005 Robert C. Rowland, University of Kansas
2006 Julia Wood, University of North Carolina
2007 Kathleen J. Turner, Davidson College
2008 No award given
2009 James W. Chesebro, Ball State University
2010 Dale A. Herbeck, Boston College
Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, University of Minnesota
2011 Michael E. Roloff, Northwestern University