Please meet our 2018 Career Development Award Winners
Laadi Issaka
While aspiring to eventually become a coach or a teacher, this Mississippi Valley State women’s soccer student-athlete serves as a role model for young kids in her community.
Throughout her community service involvement, revolving around 'Back to School' theme, she encouraged youth to continue their education, and today she is motivated to pursue a career in sports, which she sees as a way of giving back to community, influence and inspire others, especially young girls.
A member of her campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Issaka used the platform to discuss ways of improving the lives of student athletes on and off the field and to connect with student athletes from different universities. On the soccer field, this Ghana's national team midfielder led Division I in goals per game in 2016 and in assists per game in 2015.
Hometown: Bolga, Ghana School: Mississippi Valley State University Major: Health, Physical Education and Recreation Sport: Women's Soccer GPA: 4.00
Douglas Nover
Currently in his Junior year at Saint Peter's University, Douglas Nover is a men’s tennis student-athlete who is successful on and off the court and is considered one who leads by example. Nover is the president of his school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as well as serving as the vice chair of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference SAAC.
In order to achieve his objective to transition from a student athlete into an administrator in athletics, Nover is already enrolled in his institution's Accelerated BS to MBA Program. Alongside aspirations of becoming an Athletic Director at a Power 5 Conference school, Nover seeks to grow and learn from anyone with similar aspirations. On the court, the Bayside, NY native was recognized as an ITA Scholar-Athlete Award winner and made the 2016 & 2017 All-Academic Team.
Hometown: Bayside, NY School: Saint Peter's University Major: Business Management Sport: Men's Tennis GPA: 3.95
The NCAA provides support for schools as they work to meet the NCAA’s academic standards via the Accelerating Academic Success Program, which assists Division I schools as they develop programs and systems designed to increase graduation rates and ensure academic success.