LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has announced that it will join the WeCOACH 2023-24 Divisions II & III Development Program. Entering its second year, the Program features 42 total Division II & III conferences, including four new conferences: the PSAC, representing Division II, along with the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC), Little East Conference (LEC), and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) representing Division III.
The initial year of the Program served 199 institutions across 16 NCAA Division II conferences, and another 268 institutions representing 26 NCAA Division III conferences. In total, the Program impacted over 4,200 total participants in its first year, including 68 of 98 graduates in the 2023 WeCOACH-NCAA Women Coaches Academy, and 10 of 20 graduates in Academy 2.0. In addition to the conferences, any Division II or III women coaches with a current WeCOACH membership are eligible to participate.
"The Divisions II & III Development Program has been one of the most rewarding highlights of my tenure with WeCOACH,” said WeCOACH CEO Vanessa Fuchs. “The commissioners and athletics leadership across these 42 conferences continue to raise the bar, recognizing the importance of investing in the development of their women coaches in order to recruit, advance, and retain more women in this critical profession. Together, we will MOVE the NUMBERS to support & increase women in coaching.”
This year-round professional growth and leadership development program offers a number of different opportunities for participants across all sports to engage, highlighted by three 90-minute Development Sessions (fall, winter, & spring) focused on offering strategies and best practices to successfully navigate timely issues impacting the coaching profession.
"With our efforts to be more inclusive, one area of focus is on developing our current female coaches for not only the long term but also to improve the depth of our pool of future head coaches," said Steve Murray, PSAC Commissioner. "Partnering with WeCOACH allows us to add another tool in our toolbox to help in these efforts while helping our coaches achieve their goals."
2023-24 Divisions II & III Development Program Conferences:
NCAA Division II Conferences (17 total):
• California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)
• Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC)
• Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
• Conference Carolinas
• East Coast Conference (ECC)
• Great American Conference (GAC)
• Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
• Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC)
• Gulf South Conference (GSC)
• Lone Star Conference (LSC)
• Mountain East Conference (MEC)
• Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10)
• The PacWest Conference
• Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
• Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC)
• South Atlantic Conference (SAC)
• Sunshine State Conference (SSC)
NCAA Division III Conferences (25 total):
• College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW)
• Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC)
• City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC)
• Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC)
• Landmark Conference
• Liberty League
• Little East Conference (LEC)
• Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)
• Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA)
• Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC)
• Midwest Conference (MWC)
• Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC)
• New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
• New England Women’s & Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)
• North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)
• Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC)
• Northwest Conference (NWC)
• Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC)
• Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC)
• Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC)
• Southern Athletic Association (SAA)
• Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC)
• United East Conference
• University Athletic Association (UAA)
• Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)
Quotes from New Participating Conferences about the Development Program:
“CUNYAC is excited to partner with WeCOACH in providing additional support and resources to our female coaches and staff to assist in their professional development, coaching education, and networking. Through its collaboration with WeCOACH, CUNYAC continues to foster a diverse, inclusive coaching community and make valuable services available to enhance the recruitment, growth, and retention of coaches across all sports.”
- Carl Christian, Interim Executive Director, CUNY Athletic Conference (CUNYAC)
“I am excited that the Little East Conference is able to partner with WeCOACH to provide valuable resources to benefit the women coaching in our conference. This relationship aligns with our efforts in our strategic plan to enhance our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, aiding in the development and advancement of women in coaching by providing year-round access to WeCOACH’s acclaimed educational programing.”
- Pamela Samuelson, Ph.D., Commissioner, Little East Conference (LEC)
“The WIAC is pleased to partner with WeCOACH. This is a perfect opportunity to support our membership and female coaches in the area of professional development, coaching education and networking.”
- Danielle Harris, Commissioner, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)
To learn more about the Divisions II & III Development Program and/or to inquire about participation, visit: WeCOACH Development Program or contact: memberships@wecoachsports.org. To register for upcoming programs and events, visit: wecoachsports.org/programs-events/upcoming-events.
ABOUT WeCOACH
Founded in 2011, WeCOACH is a one-of-a-kind 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches in all sports and levels through year-round professional growth & leadership development programs. Prior to Title IX, over 90% of women’s collegiate sports teams were coached by women. Today, over 50 years later, the data indicates that number has decreased to 46% in Division I, 41% across all three NCAA Divisions, with only 6.2% women head coaches of color (Division I). Only 5% women coach men's teams. At the youth level, the data is hard to estimate, approximately less than 20% of teams are coached by women.
WeTEACH. WeINSPIRE. WeMOTIVATE. WeLEAD. WeCOACH!
WeCOACH launched MOVE the NUMBERS in 2022 to help change the landscape for women coaches and the student-athletes they lead. If she can see her, she can be her. For more information visit MOVE the NUMBERS.