The announcement was just made this morning, and you can read the details in the press release below.
Congratulations to CEO Patti Phillips and all women leaders in college sports on this exciting re-fresh.
Congratulations to CEO Patti Phillips and all women leaders in college sports on this exciting re-fresh.
NACWAA
REBRANDS AS WOMEN LEADERS IN COLLEGE SPORTS AND CELEBRATES
WOMEN LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS
KANSAS
CITY, MO—The National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators
(NACWAA), the nation’s premier athletic leadership organization, announces that
on Tuesday, February 21 it will unveil a new name: Women Leaders in College Sports.
The
name—which is complemented by a new website, womenleadersincollegesports.org and refreshed
brand identity (both links live on Feb. 21)—is the culmination of a
yearlong effort to develop a stronger name that more clearly demonstrates the
organization’s mission: to develop and advance women leaders at all levels of
intercollegiate athletics.
“Whenever
you have to spend time explaining who you are,” says Women Leaders in College
Sports CEO Patti Phillips, “it takes away from engaging people in what you do.
NACWAA was a bit of a mouthful; it didn’t adequately show anyone inside or
outside of our industry what we do and who we are, and as we have grown, many
members found the words limiting and not specific to them. In short, we evolved
beyond what our name stated.”
The
long and intentional process of choosing a new name involved the NACWAA board
of directors, the National Office team in Kansas City, marketing agency Global
Prairie, and focus groups made up of selected members. The goal in the naming
process was to never stray from the organization’s core—intercollegiate
athletics—but to be more inclusive of the growing and diverse membership made
up of women at all levels, and in varying departments, of intercollegiate
athletics.
"This
great organization has experienced enormous growth and influence within
intercollegiate athletics,” says Women Leaders in College Sports President
Vicky Chun, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Colgate University. “Having
a new name and logo, which describes who we are and what we do, is a natural
and exciting part of this progression.”
Chun
continues, “The need and support for female leadership has never been more
vital than it is now, and Women Leaders in College Sports has a proven track
record to fulfill this need within the college sports industry and beyond.”
The
growth and influence is reflected in the numbers: In 2012, for instance, 19
women advanced into an athletic director, conference commissioner, or other
athletic leadership roles. In 2016, thanks in part to the work of Women Leaders
in College Sports (NACWAA), 37 women advanced into an athletic director,
conference commissioner, or other athletic leadership roles, a 105% increase.
Of those 37, seven were women of color.
This
past winter, women athletic directors and Women Leaders in College Sports
members led two
of the top five college football programs: Jennifer Cohen’s University of
Washington Huskies were ranked #4, the Pac-12 champs, and competed at the
Peach Bowl; Sandy Barbour’s Penn State Nittany Lions were ranked #5, the Big
Ten champs, and competed at the Rose Bowl. Plus, Women Leaders in College
Sports member Kathy Beauregard’s Western Michigan Broncos were ranked #15, the
Mid-American Conference champs, and competed in the Cotton Bowl.
“But
there’s still work to be done,” says Phillips, “Our new name will position the
organization’s members for further growth and development.”
Women
Leaders’ (shortened without an acronym) programming, membership benefits, and
events will not change with the new name, including the NCAA/Women Leaders
slate of joint programming: Women’s
Leadership Symposium, Institute
for Administrative Advancement, Leadership
Enhancement Institute, and Executive
Institute. The Women Leaders National
Convention will be held in Dallas, October 8-10, 2017.
Says
NCAA President Mark Emmert: “NACWAA has shared the NCAA’s goal of making
college sports more inclusive of people from all backgrounds and has been vital
in creating a platform to support and promote women throughout the ranks of
college athletics. While the organization may be taking on a new name, I am
excited for the work it will continue to do in the future—promoting Women
Leaders in College Sports.”
For
a link to this press release, please
click here.