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Division III LGBTQ of the Year Recognition Award Program

The Division III LGBTQ Working Group has developed the Division III LGBTQ of the Year Recognition Award Program that annually recognizes LGBTQ service, leadership, and inclusion in three categories.  

  • LGBTQ Student-Athlete of the Year Award, which honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence and service/leadership of LGBTQ student-athletes. 
  • LGBTQ Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award, which honors the service, leadership and promotion of LGBTQ inclusion by an LGBTQ athletics administrator, coach or staff member.
  • LGBTQ Athletics Department/Conference of the Year Award, which honors an athletics department or conference office that has demonstrated proactive efforts to create and sustain an LGBTQ-inclusive culture.

The goal is to recognize, honor and celebrate the academic achievements, athletics excellence, service and leadership of LGBTQ student-athletes; the service, leadership and promotion of LGBTQ inclusion by an LGBTQ athletics administrator, coach or staff; and an athletics department or conference that has demonstrated proactive efforts to create and sustain an LGBTQ-inclusive culture.

Nomination and Application Process:

The application process for all three awards opens annually on February 1 and is available on NCAA Program Hub until June 1 at 5 p.m. Eastern.   A subcommittee of the Division III LGBTQ Working Group selects the award recipients.  The recipients will be announced at a recognition event at the preceding NCAA Convention.    Please note that institution/conference office may self-nominate for the institution/conference award. However, the LGBTQ student-athlete and coach/staff/administrator awards require a nomination.  Institutions and conferences are urged to submit two nominations for each individual award if at least one of the nominees is a student-athlete/coach/administrator/staff who is international or an individual of color. Eligible nominators include commissioners, campus chief diversity officers, athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives and head coaches.

Nomination and Selection Timing:

February 1 Solicitation for nominations sent to conference commissioners, athletics directors, chief diversity officers, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives and head coaches.
June 1 Deadline for applications.
NCAA Convention Announcement of award recipients.

For questions about the LGBTQ of the Year nomination process, please contact Shay Wallach, director in the office of inclusion.