FAYETTEVILLE — David Cawood, a former Arkansas sports information director and longtime NCAA executive, died Sunday. He was 64.

Cawood had returned to his home in Louisville, Ky., after his daily morning run and complained to his wife, Sheila, that he was not feeling well, according to an NCAA news release. He then collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, where resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

Cawood was Arkansas’ sports information director from 1971-1974.

“He was a wonderful man and did a great job for us,” said Frank Broyles, the Razorbacks ’ head football coach from 1958-1976 and athletic director from 1973-2007. “He was always a real team player and very smart.” Cawood, a Baylor graduate, left Arkansas to join the NCAA staff as director of public relations and played an instrumental role in transforming college basketball’s NCAA Tournament into one of the biggest and most financially lucrative sporting events in the country.

“David was recognized as a guy who would tell you the truth,” retired NCAA executive Louis Spry said in a news release. “To my knowledge, he never lied to any member of the media, and they respected him for that. He was principled, kind and gentle. He was just somebody who everybody liked.” Thomas Jernstedt, NCAA executive vice president, said Cawood “had an outstanding relationship with the media, mostly because he had a keen understanding of their needs.” “He also possessed a great knowledge of the [NCAA ], and he could explain complicated concepts effectively, often using his great sense of humor,” Jernstedt said.

Cawood, a native of Harlon County in Kentucky, returned to his home state in 1997 to work for Host Communications in Lexington as executive vice president in charge of collegiate sports.

In 2007, Cawood moved from Lexington to Louisville, where he was president of a management firm. He was a member of the halls of fame for the College Sports information Directors of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association.

“Dave did a lot of things to make college athletics better with his foresight, judgment and people skills,” Broyles said. “He’ll be greatly missed.”