NCAA office of inclusion, MOIC honor 3 as Champions of Diversity and Inclusion

The NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee and the Association's office of inclusion have recognized three individuals as 2024 Champions of Diversity and Inclusion. The honorees were selected for their work throughout the community and on campus in supporting ethnic minorities and other underrepresented populations in intercollegiate athletics.

The three honorees are:

• Thomas Harris, senior associate athletics director for belonging and engagement, Arizona.
• Doug Knuth, director of athletics, Southern Utah. 
• Richard Zhu, assistant commissioner for sport management and engagement, Patriot League.

The recognition was created in 2015 by the MOIC to honor individuals at NCAA colleges, universities and athletics conferences who have shown a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; advocating for ethnic minorities; and advancing others within the college athletics space that goes beyond their profession. Individuals are nominated and selected for the honor twice a year.

The MOIC is an NCAA Association-wide committee that champions causes and topics that involve ethnic minorities in the membership.

"Congratulations to spring 2024 MOIC Champions of Diversity and Inclusion," said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement. "These incredible professionals believe in and strive for transformative environments, so they commit to healthy, positive inclusive cultures. Their campuses and conference offices work to ensure that each student-athlete, each coach and each administrator is seen and valued for who they are. We are thrilled to honor their work and their dedication."

"All of us competing in college athletics and working to support student-athletes would like to thank Thomas, Doug and Richard for their work advancing diversity, equity and inclusion," said Adam Hutchinson, chair of the MOIC and director of athletics at Earlham. "Their impact on sport and the student-athlete experience extends beyond the borders of their campuses and is fed across all levels of the NCAA."

Thomas Harris 

Driven by his firm belief that a diverse and inclusive environment helps an organization thrive, Harris has been a passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. Within the past five years, Harris has spearheaded a series of diversity-themed nights that celebrate the cultural heritage of student-athletes, in addition to facilitating an annual Juneteenth Shoe Drive and service opportunities in communities of color. Thomas has also brought awareness and fundraising support to underfunded student cultural centers on campus.

Within the Arizona athletics department, Harris has implemented strategic recruitment initiatives to attract high-caliber candidates from diverse backgrounds. This has resulted in a more diverse workforce, fostering a richer environment for student-athletes and staff alike.

In addition to leading DEI educational sessions for staff and student-athletes, Harris also serves on the Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Council of Excellence Executive Board, which aims to educate DEI professionals in collegiate athletics on building a culture of inclusion and creating community. 

Doug Knuth

Throughout his career in college athletics, Knuth has remained a consistent advocate to advance the careers of others with a focus on providing opportunities for women and people of color. In his previous post as athletics director at Nevada, he hired the university's first African American head football coach and Japanese American head women's soccer coach. Before Nevada, Knuth hired numerous minority coaches and administrators who have advanced their careers to senior levels of Division I athletics. At Southern Utah, Knuth continues to lead the way, with his first administrative and coaching hires being women or people of color.  

In addition, Knuth reconstituted the LEAD1 fellows program as the organization's diversity initiative to advance the careers of dozens of senior-level athletics administrators aspiring to Division I athletics director positions. Knuth also implemented this same program at the FCS level through the Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.  

Knuth serves on the NCAA Division I Council, chairs the NCAA Division I Legislative Committee and sits on the NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee. He also serves on the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association Legislative and Governance Committee to advance policy and legislation to support diversity and inclusion efforts. In each of these positions, he brings a focus on supporting others and advancing diverse backgrounds and perspectives across Division I athletics.  

Richard Zhu

Zhu has directly led Patriot League efforts for programming and initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. In support of student-athletes of color, Zhu led the development of the Pursuit of Anti-Racism T-shirts, which were worn by student-athletes and coaches during athletics contests.  

Zhu also helped establish the Patriot League Diverse Talent Pathway program, which identified 20 coaching and administrative ethnic minority leaders who aspire to become head coaches, athletics directors and senior administrators.  

In addition, Zhu helped lead efforts for the Women's Leadership Forum, which is a professional development experience dedicated to women coaches and administrators from five Division I conferences in the Northeast. The most recent forum drew nearly 250 attendees.