KANSAS CITY, MO. - Saint Peter's Director of Athletics Rachelle Paul was named the NCAA Division I Nike Executive of the Year, as the Women Leaders in College Sports announced its 2022 major award recipients. The honors include the Nike Lifetime Achievement Awards, Nike Executives of the Year, Rising Executives Awards, and special recognition for a Title IX Legend.
Paul wrapped up her third academic year in Jersey City and led an athletics department that made history on every front. Highlighted by the unprecedented postseason run by the men's basketball program, which became the first-ever No. 15 seed in the history of March Madness to reach the Elite Eight, every Peacock program excelled on its respective playing surface, as well as in the classroom and in the community.
After the men's basketball team won its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship since 2011, the Peacocks captured the heart of the nation thanks to shocking upsets over blueblood programs Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue to become the first No. 15 seed ever to reach the Elite Eight. Other highlights included the men's soccer team finishing second in the MAAC table, the softball and baseball teams posting the most wins since 2007 and 2016, respectively, and a number of individual accolades garnered by swimming & diving and track & field student-athletes.
Peacock student-athletes also thrived in the classroom over the past 12 months. The volleyball team won the USMC/AVCA Team Academic award, the men's basketball team earned NABC Team Academic award, and the softball team finished 20th in the country in team GPA, while 14 of those student-athletes earned NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete Honors. The department as a whole saw 140 student-athletes be named to the 2021-2022 MAAC Academic Honor Roll.
You can read the whole press release here.
About Women's Leaders in College Sports
Founded in 1979, Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) is the only nationally recognized collegiate professional membership organization whose mission is to develop, connect and advance women leaders working in intercollegiate athletics. More than 4,300 members strong, Women Leaders promotes the growth, leadership and success of women as athletics administrators, conference commissioners, professional staff, coaches and student-athletes. Read about the recent advancement landscape for women athletic directors in CEO Patti Phillips' May 2021 USA Today op-ed, and follow Women Leaders on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @WomenLeadersCS.
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