2020 AVCA Diversity Award Winners

Lexington, Ky.----The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced the 2020 Diversity Awards last week, with former Wingate University All-SAC and All-Region outside hitter Cory McGowan earning the prestigious honor. The issues of race relations in America, the incidences of social injustice and the grips of a global health crisis have placed a needed emphasis on being intentional and mobilizing efforts that lead to substantive change for society and the volleyball community.

"All of my life I've always been the only the only girl playing kick ball, the only woman in the karate dojo sparring with men, the only African American woman to play soccer in high school," McGowan says. "This led into college, where I was the only African American on the volleyball team. Wingate allowed me to focus more on our TEAM and less on the pressures that the world placed on me to fit in. This is something I have focused on in my coaching efforts. Penn Hills High School is often the only volleyball team in our conference with African American athletes and yet our mentality is beyond that. We are a team, it's we before me. Coaching club volleyball at Revolution is going to be the same mentality. As a head coach of 16s, we are going to be focused on we rather than me. The same will go for men's volleyball at Carlow University. Being African American is not something I want people to ignore. I embrace my skin. I love my skin. I also love my teammates and our various backgrounds. I love the sport and all of the connections it has given me. It's bigger than black and white. I am so appreciative to Wingate Athletics and Coach Collier for helping me grow and develop into a person who can have success with players of wide age ranges during their formative years. It is quite an honor to be recognized by the AVCA and it means a lot to me to be alongside many successful pioneers in our sport who are also receiving this diversity award."

For the 2020 AVCA Diversity Award program, recipients will participate in a series of educational, developmental, and relationship building experiences in conjunction with the 2020 AVCA Virtual Convention, December 16-19 (With all 2020 AVCA Diversity Award winners being invited to in-person programming at the 2021 AVCA Convention in Columbus, Ohio). Recipients will also be integrated into the AVCA Diversity Award winner alumni program that consists of continuing education, relationship building, and mentoring upon completion of the initial programming.

In June of this year, Iowa State University head volleyball coach and past AVCA president, Christy Johnson-Lynch, along with her head volleyball coach colleagues from the Big 12 Conference decided to donate to the AVCA Diversity Fund to support the program and sponsor an award recipient for 2020. Subsequently, the Big 12 coaches challenged other coaches and conferences in the volleyball community to accept the challenge of supporting the AVCA Diversity Awards program. The Challenge resonated in the AVCA community and with other partnering organizations.

"I am so proud of Cory for receiving recognition from the AVCA," Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. "While she was here at Wingate, she was a championship, award-winning player who had a great career, came back strong after an extensive knee surgery and really grew here as a persona and as a leader. For her to move on in life and return home to Pittsburgh and have such a positive and inspirational influence on young women in her area is very special. Cory is in great company alongside these other notable diversity award winners, and Wingate volleyball is very proud of Cory for working hard and putting herself into consideration for such an award."

McGowan played at Wingate from 2010 through 2014, missing the 2013 season after suffering a knee injury near the midpoint of the 2012 season. She appeared in 111 matches as a Bulldog, piling up 790 kills and 852 digs to go along with 126 blocks. Wingate won the SAC regular season and tournament titles every year of her career, while adding NCAA Southeast Regional championships in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. McGowan earned first team All-SAC and All-Region honors in each of her first two seasons at Wingate, while also earning All-National team honors from COBRA Magazine both years. She ranked second on the team in kills as a freshman to help lead the 'Dogs to their first-ever region title, while leading the team and ranking third in the SAC in kills as a sophomore to help Wingate go undefeated in the regular season for the first time in program history.

McGowan is currently coaching for Revolution Volleyball Club in Pittsburgh, Pa. She has been named an assistant coach for the men's team at Carlow University in Pittsburgh.  

"In these unprecedented times, we are excited about the leadership represented in the 2020 AVCA Diversity Award class," Nickie Sanlin, McKendree University head men's and women's volleyball coach and chair of the AVCA Diversity Development Team says. "The largest class of recipients to date, come from all walks of life and represent different backgrounds and coaching experiences from each corner of the country. A big thank you to the numerous conferences who took part in the Big 12 Diversity Challenge for their support and donations. Their generosity will provide more Black and more ethnic minority coaches the chance to strengthen their professional networks and help prepare the next generation of coaches to pursue their future dreams. Our partnerships in the AVCA community to help educate, engage, and strengthen Black and ethnic minority coaches is not only intentional but critical to showcase the leaders who have come through the Diversity Program and their positive impact in the sport."

Additionally, as part of the AVCA Diversity Development Team's ongoing efforts to mitigate coach development, the team has partnered with 10 of the AVCA's USA Volleyball Region Affiliate Partners to provide a scholarship to attend the AVCA Virtual Convention that will allow these coaches to share in programming and experience the coaching education opportunities available virtually for 2020. With the postponement of the 2020 NCAA DI Women's Volleyball Championship, the AVCA made the decision to host the 2020 AVCA Convention virtually. The virtual format will have more than 100 educational sessions and activities as well as a virtual exhibit show and the annual AVCA Auction with proceeds supporting the AVCA Diversity Awards program. For more information, please visit the AVCA Virtual Convention website, www.avcaconvention.org.

ABOUT AVCA

The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development. With a membership of over 8,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth, and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers. Further information is available at www.avca.org.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 36 undergraduate majors as well as six master's and four doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; and the College of Professional Studies, which includes the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Wingate is the leading healthcare education provider in western North Carolina, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Athletes on Wingate's 23 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 13 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.