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WCU Athletics Signs Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge
Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina University and first-year Director of Athletics Alex Gary announced today that Catamount Athletics has become one of the first signatories of the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge (CCDP), an opt-in pledge among NCAA Division I athletics directors to include a diverse group of candidates in head coaching job opening finalist pools in men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football.
Spearheaded by Athletic Director U, the CCDP reflects a commitment to ensure equal opportunity in the hiring of head coaches and to address the barriers that have prevented the full participation of underrepresented minority groups.
Western Carolina is among the first programs across the country – and the first in the state of North Carolina – to adopt the parameters set forth by the pledge. WCU is joined by fellow Southern Conference member Furman as the first 30 signatories of the pledge.
“Catamount Athletics is proud to be an early adopter of the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge,” said Gary. “This commitment to including a diverse pool of final head coaching candidates in basketball and football aligns with our university’s goal to broaden our commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence by recruiting, retaining, and developing a diverse community. I want to thank Chancellor Kelli Brown for supporting WCU Athletics’ early adoption of this commitment.”
The Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge will be overseen by an esteemed group of independent higher education and sports leaders who comprise the Board of Advocates and the Board of Coaches. The Board of Advocates will work directly with the third-party clearinghouse designee – James Moore & Co. – to conduct a selective review of a representative sample of coaching searches to ensure compliance with the CCDP on an annual basis.
As defined by the CC, a diverse pool is defined as a “group of finalists that includes at least one candidate from a diverse or traditional underrepresented background and at least one candidate from a non-diverse background.” The pledge also looks to address the barriers that have prevented the full participation of underrepresented minority groups in the collegiate coaching profession.
Athletic Director U is an online learning platform that is designed to provide news and action-oriented insights to empower the collegiate athletics community to allow for growth and learning for athletic administrators and coaches.
Members of the public can view the names of athletic directors who have signed the pledge, as well as their compliance status, by visiting: www.CollegiateDiversityPledge.com
CCDP Board of Advocates
Katrina Adams – Former CEO & President of the United States Tennis Association
Debbie Antonelli – Leading Women’s Basketball TV Analyst
Arne Duncan – Former United States Secretary of Education
Len Elmore – Columbia University Lecturer, Men’s Basketball TV Analyst
Richard Lapchick – Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports (TIDES)
Merritt Norvell – Executive Director of National Association For Coaching Equity and Development and former Athletics Director at Michigan State University
Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow – Associate Faculty Chair, Undergraduate Program at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business & former VP of Diversity & Inclusion at the NCAA
Michael Tannenbaum – ESPN NFL Front Office Insider and former EVP/General Manager of the Miami Dolphins & New York Jets
CCDP Board of Coaches
Michelle Clark Heard – Head Women’s Basketball Coach, University of Cincinnati
Tavaras Hardy – Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Loyola University Maryland
Chris Holtmann – Head Men’s Basketball Coach, The Ohio State University
Mike London – Head Football Coach, The College of William & Mary
Van Malone – Assistant Head Football Coach, Kansas State University
Cuonzo Martin – Head Men’s Basketball Coach, University of Missouri
Jay Norvell – Head Football Coach, University of Nevada
Joni Taylor – Head Women’s Basketball Coach, University of Georgia
Daniel K. Hooker, WCU ‘01
Western Carolina University
Assistant AD for Media Relations