Wilmington, N.C. - This year, the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) will honor the 21 Past Presidents of the association in a Celebration of Leadership Luncheon at the 30th Anniversary National Convention on October 11-14.
Current University of Denver Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Peg Bradley-Doppes will be among the honorees, while former DU athletic director and current Columbia University AD Dr. M. Dianne Murphy will also be honored. Doppes serves as NACWAA President from 2001-02, while Murphy led the group from 2002-03.
"There is no way to truly say a proper thank you to these women who have accepted the role of President of NACWAA, and made it a strong organization that has helped to support, mentor and empower women into leadership roles in intercollegiate athletics. " said Jennifer Alley, Executive Director.
Barbara Hedges (NACWAA President 1980-1982) began her career in intercollegiate athletics as the gymnastics coach for the University of Arizona, and in 2004 retired from the University of Washington as one of the most influential and highly regarded athletic administrators in the country. From 1973-1985, Hedges served as the associate athletic director in charge of women's sports at the University of Southern California. In 1985, she assumed responsibility for USC's men's sports programs and in 1989, she was promoted to senior associate director of athletics at USC. Hedges served as athletics director at the University of Washington from 1991-2004, where she championed student-athlete development and gender equity in sport. With a focus on the future success of student-athletes, Hedges started the "Total Student-Athlete Program," which was devoted to leadership training, mentor programs, career opportunities and community service. Among her many accomplishments, Hedges was the first woman to serve as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and served as the first woman on the board of directors for the National Football Foundation. She also served as the chair of the executive committee of the Division I-A Athletic Directors' Association and was an active member on numerous NCAA committees, including the Championships Competition Cabinet, Women's Tennis Committee and Honors Committee. For her many contributions to collegiate athletics, Hedges was awarded the NACDA/Continental Airlines Athletic Director of the Year for NCAA Division I West Region, the Honda Award for Merit and was recently inducted in the NACDA Hall of Fame. Hedges served as the first president of the Council of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (CCWAA), which later became NACWAA, from 1980-1982 and received the NACWAA District 4 Administrator of the Year Award in 1999.
Kay Don (NACWAA President 1983-1987) served in many roles during her distinguished career in intercollegiate athletics. Beginning as an administrator at Texas A&M University, she served as the assistant athletics director for 12 years and was the first woman administrator in the department and was responsible for the formation of the women's athletic program. In 1984, she moved to Long Beach State University as the associate athletics director. At Long Beach State, she oversaw the women's basketball team that made two final four appearances, the men's and women's volleyball teams that compiled a combined three national titles and the softball team that made six College World Series appearances. In 1993, she became the director of athletics at California State University at Dominguez Hills. Don finished her career in athletics as the managing director of the Stony Brook University Indoor Sports Complex. At Stony Brook she oversaw the construction of a new 8300 seat stadium and managed the entire facilities budget. During her career, Don served on numerous NCAA committees including the NCAA Council, Post-Graduate Scholarship Committee and Softball Committee and was an AIAW National Council Board Member. Among her many accomplishments, Don was inducted into the Southwest Texas State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and received the Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater, Southwest Texas State University in 1979. Don served as the President of NACWAA from 1983-1987.
Dr. Christine Grant (NACWAA President 1987-1989) among the most influential sports educators in the country, Grant has made a lasting impact on women's athletics. Grant served as the Women's Athletic Director for the University of Iowa from 1973-2000. During her tenure as athletic director, Grant fought for gender equity in sport. She has testified on Title IX before the U.S. House of Representatives and served as an expert consultant to the Health, Education and Welfare Office for Civil Rights Title IX Task Force. She has received the Billie Jean King Award, the Honda Award of Merit for outstanding achievements in women's athletics and the NACWAA Lifetime Achievement Award (2007), Legacy Award (2008) and District 6 Administrator of the Year Award (1993). She was a founding member of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), served as the President of NACWAA from 1987-1989 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport. In 2007, Grant was named one of the 100 most influential sports educators by the Institute for International Sport. Grant currently serves as an emeritus associate professor in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Department of Health and Sports Studies.
Dr. E. Kaye Hart (NACWAA President 1989-1991) now retired, during her pioneering career opened countless doors to women in athletics. In 1965, Hart graduated as the Outstanding Woman Physical Education Major from Utah State University. She began her career in intercollegiate athletics at Southern Utah University as the Athletic Director of Women's Sports. In 1969, Hart moved to Midwestern College where she was the Assistant Athletic Director and Head Women's Basketball Coach. While at Midwestern, Hart coached three AAU All-Americans and awarded scholarships to female student-athletes. This groundbreaking endeavor led to the creation of the first AIAW athletic scholarships for women. An advocate for gender equity in sport, Hart's leadership and drive contributed to the passage of Title IX in 1972. Hart then spent time at New Mexico State University, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and Temple University. In 1982, Hart joined Utah State University as the Associate Athletic Director of Internal Operations. She served as the Acting Athletic Director at Utah State in 1985. In 1993, she was hired as the Director of Athletics at Austin Peay State University, where she served until her retirement in 1997. Hart has served the intercollegiate athletics community through her extensive work with the NCAA including work on the Special Committee on Financial Conditions in Intercollegiate Athletics, Women's Basketball Committee, and Peer Review Team. She has also served as a consultant for Legal Advocates for Women's Sports and has presented before the Knight Foundation. Among her many honors, Hart has been cited in "Outstanding Women in Health, Physical Education & Recreation" and "Who's Who in the West." Hart served as the president of NACWAA from 1989-1991.
Chris Voelz (NACWAA President 1991-1992) is an influential leader in intercollegiate athletics, she currently serves as a consultant and leadership gift officer for the Women's Sports Foundation. Prior to her arrival at the Women's Sports Foundation, Voelz served as the Director of Women's Athletics at the University of Minnesota for 14 years. During her time at Minnesota, Voelz oversaw 12 women's sports, and the construction of multiple new facilities including the Elizabeth Lyle Robbie stadium for soccer, the Jane Sage Cowles stadium for softball and the Ridder Arena for hockey. Under Voelz, the Lady Gophers achieved academic excellence with 25 consecutive terms of maintaining a 3.0 GPA or better and increased their endowed scholarships from one to 25. Voelz began her career in collegiate athletics at the University of Oregon as the head volleyball coach. She would later become the senior associate athletic director at Oregon. Voelz has served on numerous NCAA committees including the Gender Equity Task Force, the Volleyball Committee, and the Gymnastics Committee. For her extensive work in athletics, Voelz has received many awards, including the NACWAA District 6 Administrator of the Year Award in 1994, the National Association of Girls and Women in Sports Honor Award, the Governor's Leadership Award, the Founding Feminist Award and the Minnesota NAGWS Pathfinder Award. She has been inducted into both the Illinois State University and University of Minnesota Halls of Fame and she was recognized as one of the top ten women of influence in the nation in women's sport by Fitness Magazine. As president of NACWAA from 1991-1992, Voelz strove to enhance diversity in the organization and expand female representation within the NCAA governance structure. Voelz was president of NACWAA when the members of NACWAA wrote the Gender Equity language adapted by the NCAA as the official definition.
Marcia Saneholtz (NACWAA President 1992-1993) spent the entirety of her 28 year career in intercollegiate athletics at Washington State University. Saneholtz retired from her position as Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator in 2007. During her tenure at WSU, Saneholtz oversaw the successful merger of the men's and women's athletic programs and worked closely with campus groups to ensure the health and wellness of WSU student-athletes. Saneholtz also served two terms as vice president of the Pacific-10 Conference, chaired the Senior Women's Administrator's Committee and chaired the NCAA Division I Volleyball Committee. She has received numerous awards for accomplishments in intercollegiate athletics, including the NACWAA District 4 Administrator of the Year Award (1997), the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports Pathfinder Award (2001), the WSU Woman of Distinction Award (2003), and the WSU Association for Faculty Women Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award (2007). The volleyball court at WSU is named Marcia Saneholtz Court in honor of her contributions to WSU athletics. Saneholtz served as the President of NACWAA from 1992-1993.
Dr. Marilyn McNeil (NACWAA President 1993-1994) one of the most respected leaders in intercollegiate athletics, has served as Director of Athletics at Monmouth University since 1994 and was recently named a Vice-President of the University. Before taking the Director of Athletics position at Monmouth, McNeil served as Head Women's Basketball Coach, Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at California Polytechnic State University from 1979-1994. Prior to arriving at California Polytechnic State, McNeil spent several years coaching at McGill University, Vanier College and Calgary. In 1979, as Calgary's Head Women's Basketball Coach, McNeil won Canadian Coach of the Year honors. McNeil has been active at the national level, having served on the Division I NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics and the Management Council. She currently serves as a member of the NCAA Women's Basketball Committee. Among her many honors, McNeil was named the NACWAA District 2 Administrator of the Year in 1996 and NACWAA Administrator of the Year in 2001. McNeil served as the president of NACWAA from 1993-1994.
Cary Groth (NACWAA President 1994-1995) known for her tenacity and persistence, Groth is a leader in the intercollegiate athletics community. Groth currently serves as the Director of Athletics at the University of Nevada. During her tenure at Nevada, the athletics program has earned a Diversity in Athletics Award from the Laboratory for Diversity in Sport at Texas A&M University and has scored in the top two universities for providing opportunities for women in athletics in each of the past three years by the national Gender Equity study. In addition, the Wolf Pack was awarded the 2006-07 Western Athletic Conference Commissioner's Cup as the best overall athletics department in the conference. Before arriving at Nevada, Groth served as the Director of Athletics at Northern Illinois University from 1994-2004. Groth has received numerous accolades for her work in intercollegiate athletics, including Administrator of the Year honors from both NACWAA and the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (2003). She has also served on the Department of Education's Commission on Opportunity in Athletics and was named to Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal's "Super 50: Women's Sports Executives" in 1998. Groth served as the President of NACWAA from 1994-1995.
Dee Todd (NACWAA President 1995-1996) has a career marked by firsts, and has been a pioneer in intercollegiate athletics administration. Todd serves as Athletic Director at North Carolina A & T University, making her the first woman to hold that position. Before taking the lead at NC A&T, Todd served as Assistant Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, making her the first woman to hold that position as well. Todd began her career in intercollegiate athletics at Northwestern University where she was named Cross Country Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1983. Todd then moved to Georgia Tech where she was honored three times as Georgia State Coach of the Year and was named ACC Coach of the Year for Women's Outdoor Track in 1987. She has served on numerous NCAA Committees, Chaired the USOC's Minorities in Sports Task Force, was co-founder of Project GOLD and served as Assistant Coach for the World Track and Field Championships in Seville, Spain. Todd has been inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Winston Salem State University Halls of Fame. Dedicated to community service, Todd has served as Chair of the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Commission, North Carolina Juvenile Justice Commissioner, Board Member for Goodwill Industries, YMCA and Center for Creative Leadership, External Vice President of the Women's Professional Forum and member of the Board of Governors for the Summit House of North Carolina. Todd served as the President of NACWAA from 1995-1996.
Dr. Betsy Alden (NACWAA President 1996-1997) is the founder of Alden & Associates, Inc. established in 1999, it provides executive search and consulting services for institutions of higher education, she has made a lasting impact on intercollegiate athletics. Previously, she served as the Director of Athletics at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Webster University, San Francisco State University, and Ithaca College. She has taught at the graduate level at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has published articles in Athletic Administration and Athletic Management. Currently, she serves on the Executive Committee of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS), is Chair of the American Council on Education's Executive Search Roundtable, and serves on the Board of Advisors for the College Athletics & the Law publication. Alden served as the President of NACWAA from 1996-1997.
Sharon Taylor (NACWAA President 1997-1998) is currently the Director of Athletics at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, she has left her mark on intercollegiate athletics. Prior to taking on that position, Taylor served for 22 years as the Head Women's Field Hockey Coach at Lock Haven. During her time as head coach, Taylor led her squad to six national championships and 333 wins, making her the winningest coach in Lock Haven history. Taylor also served as the Lacrosse coach at Lock Haven for six years, where she led her squad to a national championship title in 1979. Taylor has made significant contributions to intercollegiate athletics serving as a past president of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women and former vice president for Division III of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. In addition, Taylor has made a lasting impact on the sport of Field Hockey as a 13 year member of the United State Olympic Committee Board of Directors for Field Hockey, a U.S. Delegate to the International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations, as a consultant to the President's Commission on Olympic Sport and as a past president of the United States Field Hockey Association. Taylor was also responsible for the concept and initiation of the first national field hockey championship for women in the United States. Among her numerous achievements, Taylor has been honored as NACWAA District 2 Administrator of the Year (1988), Jostens's Female Administrator of the Year by the ECAC (1997), awarded the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport Pathfinder Award (1996), HERitage Award of the Pennsylvania State Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (1995), and the Katherine Ley Award for outstanding contributions to women's athletics by the ECAC (1988). Taylor was also named Field Hockey Division II Coach of the Year three times. Taylor served as the president of NACWAA from 1997-1998.
Dr. Karol Kahrs (NACWAA President 1998-1999) is a pioneer for women's intercollegiate athletics, and was hired by the University of Illinois in 1974 to create an athletics program for women. In 1981, Illinois became one of the first institutions reviewed by the Office of Civil Rights to be in compliance with Title IX guidelines. Kahrs has played many roles at Illinois since her hire in 1974 including teaching in the College of Physical Education, serving as the Assistant Athletic Director, Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator. After 36 years of service to Illinois, Kahrs retired from her position in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Development Office in 2000. During her career in intercollegiate athletics, Kahrs served on numerous NCAA and Big Ten Committees, was on the Executive Committee of both the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) and was selected to represent the University of Illinois and the NCAA at the Senate Subcommittee Hearings on the Tower Amendment and Title IX. Among her many honors, Kahrs was named NACWAA District 5 Administrator of the Year (1992), received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in Physical Education from the University of Georgia (1988), was named as an Outstanding Associate Athletic Director by the All-American Football Foundation (1999), and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from NACWAA (2000). Kahrs served as the president of NACWAA from 1998-1999.
Bridget Belgiovine (NACWAA President 1999-2000) is a visionary, and an energetic and effective leader, who currently serves as the Director of Athletics and Chair of the Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics Department at Wellesley College. Prior to her arrival at Wellesley, Belgiovine was the Director of Division III at the NCAA where she coordinated and supported the Division III governance structure. Before her position with the NCAA, Belgiovine served as the Athletic Director for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Belgiovine began her career in intercollegiate athletics as an Assistant Professor, Field Hockey Coach, Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Springfield (Mass.) College. Active in her service to intercollegiate athletics, Belgiovine has served on the executive board of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the ECAC executive council, served as vice president of the Springfield College Alumni Council and as chair of the Division III Management Council. Among her many awards, Belgiovine was honored as a NACWAA Administrator of the Year in 2003, a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, received the Springfield College Distinguished Alumna Award, was inducted into the Immaculate Heart Academy Hall of Fame and was honored with the creation of an endowed Belgiovine Scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Through her work in intercollegiate athletics, Belgiovine emphasizes her desire to support the advancement of female student-athletes and her passion to incorporate athletics as a component of the overall college educational experience. Belgiovine places highest importance on her work that has stimulated youth involvement and women's advancement and equity, including the Women's Sports Foundation GoGirlGo Initiative, NCAA Yes Clinics and National and Regional Leadership Conferences, and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Events. Belgiovine served as the president of NACWAA from 1999-2000.
Judy Sweet (NACWAA President 2000-2001) has had a significant impact on intercollegiate athletics throughout her prestigious career. Sweet began her career in intercollegiate athletics administration as the Assistant Director of Athletics and Supervisor of Physical Education at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in 1973. In 1975, Sweet was named Director of Athletics at UCSD, becoming one of the first women to lead a combined men's and women's athletic department. Under her supervision, UCSD teams won a combined 26 NCAA National Championships and the athletics program received the Sears Cup in 2008. In 2001, Sweet joined the NCAA as the Vice President for Championships and Senior Woman Administrator. Sweet was promoted to Senior Vice President for Championships and Education Services in 2003. In 2006, she left the NCAA and currently serves as a consultant for Title IX and Gender Equity Strategies. Among her many groundbreaking achievements, Sweet became the first woman to serve as president of the NCAA (1991) and also the first woman to hold the position of Secretary-Treasurer of the NCAA (1989-1991). Sweet has also served on numerous NCAA Committees, including the Gender Equity Task Force and the Subcommittee to Review Minority Opportunities in Intercollegiate Athletics. She has been honored with the Giant Steps Award in Athletic Administration from the Center for the Study of Sport in Society (1992), the Big Ten Conference Centennial Award (1995), The Honda Award for Outstanding Achievement in Women's Collegiate Athletics (1998), and was named the NACDA/Continental Division III Athletic Director of the Year (1998-99). Sweet also received the NACWAA District 4 Administrator of the Year Award in 1991 and 1992 and became the first recipient of the NACWAA Legacy Award in 2006. In 2006, she was also listed among the NCAA's Centennial Anniversary 100 Most Influential Student-Athletes and received the NACDA James J. Corbett Memorial Award. Sweet was named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America by the Institute for International Sport in 2007. She served as the president of NACWAA from 2000-2001.
Peg Bradley-Doppes (NACWAA President 2001-2002) is a nationally recognized leader in collegiate athletics, and serves as the Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations at the University of Denver. Bradley-Doppes took the Director of Athletics and Recreation position at DU in 2005 after serving as the Director of Athletics at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington from 1999-2004. She began her career in administration at the University of Michigan where she held the position of Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator. Bradley-Doppes got her start in collegiate athletics as a coach, serving as the head volleyball coach for Miami University, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Michigan. As a coach, Bradley-Doppes led her teams to four conference championships and she received three Coach of the Year honors. As an administrator, Bradley-Doppes has made a lasting impact on collegiate athletics through her abundant NCAA Committee service (Management Council, Division I Women's Basketball Committee, Committee on Women's Athletics, Division I Volleyball Committee, Peer Review Team, Olympic Sports Liaison Committees, and NCAA Division I Leadership Council). She has testified before the U.S. Senate, the Paige Commission, the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics. In 2004, Bradley-Doppes received the Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award from the All-American Football Foundation and the NACWAA Administrator of the Year Award (2004). Bradley-Doppes served as the president of NACWAA from 2001-2002.
Dr. M. Dianne Murphy (NACWAA President 2002-2003) leads Columbia University athletics as one of the most distinguished athletic directors in the nation. Under her direction, Columbia athletics has seen some of its most successful years in school history. Murphy launched the largest capital campaign for Athletics in the history of Columbia University and established the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame. Before arriving at Columbia in 2004, Murphy served as the Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Denver (1998-2004), where she oversaw the athletic program's move from NCAA Division II to Division I status. Murphy served as the Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Cornell University (1995-1998) prior to her work at Denver. From 1988-1995, Murphy served as the Assistant Athletics Director at the University of Iowa. Murphy began her career in athletic administration at Kentucky State University in 1987. Prior to entering administration, Murphy coached basketball for 13 years. Murphy has made significant contributions to the collegiate athletics community through her service on numerous committees and boards, including the NCAA Athletics Certification Committee, the 2004 NCAA Gambling Task Force, the NCAA Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee, the Board of Directors of the Women's Collegiate Sports Awards and the State Farm Wade Trophy Selection Committee. Among her many honors, Murphy has been recognized by NACWAA as an Administrator of the Year in both 2001 and 2008 and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Administrator of the Year (2004). She was also named the General Sports Turf West Athletic Director of the Year by NACDA (2004) and received the General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award for excellence in football (2007). Murphy established the Distinguished Lecture Series in Sport Management at Florida State University and The Dr. M. Dianne Murphy Female Student-Athlete Leaders for Life Program at Tennessee Technological University. Murphy served as the president of NACWAA from 2002-2003.
Pam Gill-Fisher (NACWAA President 2003-2004) helped the University of California, Davis become one of the premiere athletic institutions in the nation. Gill-Fisher retired from her position as Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2006, but continues to teach and hold the position of Senior Woman Administrator for the institution. Since beginning her career at UC-Davis in 1973 as the women's basketball, volleyball and tennis coach, Gill-Fisher has held multiple administrative positions in the athletics program. During her time at UC-Davis, Gill-Fisher guided and assisted the athletics program in its transition from a non-scholarship Division II program to a Division I program. She also supervised the development and implementation of a fully automated compliance system and helped write the Best Hiring Practices document that was utilized by the NCAA as the foundation for the document that they developed and distributed to the membership. While she was at UC-Davis the athletics program won seven NACDA Directors' Cup awards in Division II, and won more post graduate scholarships than any other Division II school. In addition, three UC-Davis student-athletes were named NCAA Woman of the Year, more than any other institution in the country. Gill-Fisher has served the collegiate athletics community as a whole with her service on NCAA committees, including the Academic Requirements Committee, Women's Basketball Committee and the Management Council. She has been honored as NACWAA District 4 Administrator of the Year in 1994 and as an Administrator of the Year in 2001, was inducted into the UC-Davis Hall of Fame, and has received multiple coach of the year honors and teaching awards. Gill-Fisher served as the president of NACWAA from 2003-2004.
Alfreeda Goff (NACWAA President 2004-2005) is one of the most respected women in intercollegiate athletics, she serves as the Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief of Staff of the Horizon League. In addition, Goff is the director of championships, Senior Woman Administrator and League governance liaison. Prior to arriving at the Horizon League, Goff was the Director of Athletics at Virginia State University. She began her career in administration at the University of Pittsburgh in 1977 as the Women's Athletics Coordinator where she was already serving as the head track and field coach. In 1987, Goff moved to Virginia Commonwealth University where she served as an Associate Athletic Director. Goff's extensive committee work has included membership on the NCAA Division I Management Council, NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee, NCAA Division I Track & Field Committee, NCAA Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee, and board membership of the Minority Opportunities Athletics Association. In 1999, Goff was presented with the NACWAA Administrator of the Year Award and in 2005 she was named Black Coaches Association Administrator of the Year. Throughout her career, Goff has striven to remove barriers and help minorities and women achieve success in intercollegiate athletics. She is a pioneer for the advancement of diversity in athletics. Outside of her career, Goff gains her strength and energy from her son Anton who has chosen to follow in her footsteps to make the world of collegiate athletics a more diverse, supportive and equal arena. Goff served as the president of NACWAA from 2004-2005.
Jean Lenti Ponsetto (NACWAA President 2005-2006) currently serving as the Director of Athletics at DePaul University, she has spent the entirety of her career working for the betterment of DePaul athletics. After a standout career as a student-athlete at DePaul, Lenti Ponsetto was hired as the assistant women's basketball coach in 1978. Lenti Ponsetto has also served as an assistant director of athletics, associate director of athletics, and senior associate athletic director at DePaul. Lenti Ponsetto's leadership in intercollegiate athletics can be seen in her extensive committee and association work. She serves as the president of Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association, and sits on the board of the Honda Awards and Wade Trophy Selection Committee. In addition, Lenti Ponsetto has served on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Enhancement Group, Work/Life Balance Task Force, Amateurism Clearinghouse Advisory Committee, Division I Recruiting/Early Scholarship Offer Working Group and Division I Women's Basketball Task Force and spent five years as Chair of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet. Lenti Ponsetto has received many awards in recognition of her impact on intercollegiate athletics, including the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Administrator of the Year Award (1998), Spirit of DePaul Award (1999), as NACWAA District 5 Administrator of the Year in 1998, and as a NACWAA Administrator of the Year in 2003. She served as the president of NACWAA from 2005-2006.
Joan Cronan (NACWAA President 2006-2007) has been Women's Athletic Director at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville for 26 years, she has led one of the most successful women's collegiate athletic programs in the country. During her tenure at Tennessee, the Lady Vols have won a combined total of nine NCAA Titles and 19 SEC Tournament Championships. She has been honored for her work in intercollegiate athletics as the recipient of the NACDA Southeast Region Athletic Director of the Year Award in 2004, the NACWAA Administrator of the Year Award in 2005, the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame Administrator of the Year Award in 1998, and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Leadership Award in 1987. Prior to her arrival at Tennessee, Cronan served as the Director of Athletics at the College of Charleston for ten years and was induced into that institution's Hall of Fame. Cronan has worked extensively within the NCAA as a former member of the Executive Committee, Management Council and NCAA Council and a current member of the Championship Cabinet. Her committee work has extended far beyond athletics, as she has been an integral part of the Knoxville community serving on the boards of the First Tennessee Bank, Baptist Hospital, YMCA, and Leadership Knoxville. She also works closely with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Action and serves as a deacon at Central Baptist Church-Bearden. Cronan served as the president of NACWAA from 2006-2007.
Bernadette McGlade (NACWAA President 2007-2008) is one of the most respected administrators in collegiate athletics, she is currently serving as the Commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference, a position she has held since 2008. Prior to her arrival at the Atlantic 10 Conference, McGlade served as the Associate Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for eleven years. At the ACC, McGlade oversaw all aspects of the women's basketball program and numerous other ACC responsibilities. While at the ACC, McGlade was responsible for the implementation of a strategic marketing plan that resulted in the first ever sell-out for an ACC Women's Basketball Tournament. Before her move to the ACC, McGlade served as Head Basketball Coach and eventually, Associate Athletic Director at Georgia Institute of Technology. At Georgia Tech, McGlade served as the Tournament Director for the 1993 NCAA Women's Final Four. During her time in athletics administration, McGlade has made significant contributions through committee work serving on the NCAA Management Council, Women's Basketball Selection Committee, Membership Subcommittee, Marketing Committee, Sportsmanship Committee, and Officiating Committee, amongst others. McGlade has received numerous awards for her dedication to collegiate athletics, including the Women's Basketball Coaches Association National Administrator of the Year Award (2000), Kay Yow Outstanding Female in Sports Award (2008), and the Excellence in Education Award for the development of an Atlanta Public School Outreach Program (1993). McGlade served as the president of NACWAA from 2007-2008.
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About National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators
Founded in 1979, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA; www.nacwaa.org) is the only nationally recognized collegiate professional membership organization whose mission is to enhance and promote opportunities for women in intercollegiate athletics administration. NACWAA with nearly 2,000 members promotes the growth, leadership, and success of women as athletics administrators, conference commissioners, professional staff, coaches and student-athletes. It is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to providing education al programs, professional and personal development opportunities, information exchange, and support services to enhance collegiate athletics.
