The three 2022 recipients of the Division III LGBTQ OneTeam Recognition Award were honored Friday at the NCAA Convention in San Antonio. The honorees were Elise Morris, a Middlebury women's soccer student-athlete; Courtnie Prather, UC Santa Cruz senior associate director of athletics and recreation; and the Centennial Conference.
"It is a privilege to represent Division III in recognizing the efforts made by my colleagues in the Centennial Conference, as well as Elise and Courtnie," said Donna M. Ledwin, commissioner of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference and chair of the Division III LGBTQ Working Group. "While we celebrated them in a safe space at the NCAA Convention, let's not undersell their courage to speak up and take action in support of the LGBTQ athletics community in a world that is not always so welcoming or inclusive.Â
"Together and individually, they accept the responsibility that comes with being role models and advocates, educating and inspiring us to be better allies. As a parent and an educator, I am grateful for their ongoing and unwavering commitment to supporting all LGBTQ individuals in the world of college sports."
2022 Division III LGBTQ Student-Athlete of the Year Award: Elise Morris, women's soccer, Middlebury
Student-Athlete of the Year
Morris, a neuroscience major and team captain, has used her platform as a student-athlete to educate others and speak about LGBTQ topics.
She implemented an Athletes as Leaders program on the high school and college levels and trained community leaders on the program. Through her work, Morris aims to challenge misinformation and bias around people of different sexual orientations and discuss her own experience as an LGBTQ student-athlete.
"Receiving this award is an extreme honor," said the Seattle native. "I was nominated by my athletics director without even knowing that this award existed. I've been working closely with the staff and faculty, and I've really contributed or tried to implement a lot of myself and who I am into this program both for my team and for this department in general."
The award honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence and service/leadership of LGBTQ student-athletes.
2022 Division III LGBTQ Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award: Courtnie Prather, UC Santa Cruz
Administrator of the Year
Prather serves as the UC Santa Cruz athletics department's LGBTQ OneTeam representative and liaison to campus resources for LGBTQIA+ student-athletes and staff. She led departmental efforts to collaborate with campus partners to facilitate "Gender 101" education and develop policies for gendered locker room use for the transgender community. Additionally, Prather was responsible for creating outdoor adventure and aquatics programming to foster campus health, wellness and social activities in a safe space.
"This award is a culmination of all the people in my life that have supported me, helped raise me, helped me walk within my own truth and authenticity," Prather said. "And so it really pays tribute to all of those people that have poured into my life, from my parents to my friends growing up to administrators, educators, coaches and teammates."
The award honors the service, leadership and promotion of LGBTQ inclusion by an LGBTQ athletics administrator, coach or staff member.
2022 Division III LGBTQ Athletics Department/Conference of the Year Award: Centennial Conference
Athletics Department/Conference of the Year
The Centennial Conference's student-athlete inclusion policy showcases the importance and commitment to creating, sustaining and supporting a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Other notable actions include enhanced education, policy development, athletics diversity and inclusion designee engagement and making connections with Athlete Ally, a nonprofit LGBTQ athletic advocacy group.
"Receiving this award means everything to the Centennial Conference," said Portia Hoeg, executive director of the conference. "It's really nice to be recognized overall. We obviously did not go into this process to receive an award. It was simply an acknowledgment of an area we wanted to ensure we were leaders in."
The award honors an athletics department or conference office that has demonstrated proactive efforts to create and sustain an LGBTQ-inclusive culture.
