Moon Township, Pa. – AthleticDirectorU is proud to announce the creation of the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge (CCDP), an opt-in pledge by NCAA Division I athletic directors to include a diverse group of candidates in the finalist pool for head coach vacancies in men's basketball, women's basketball and football. The CCDP reflects a commitment to ensure equal opportunity in the hiring of head coaches and to address the barriers that have prevented full participation of underrepresented minority groups.
The CCDP already counts 30 NCAA Division I athletic directors as signatories and supporters of the initiative, including RMU. These leaders represent 18 NCAA Division I leagues from coast to coast, including the Atlantic 10, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), Conference USA, Horizon League, Mid-American Conference (MAC), Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), Patriot League, Southeastern Conference (SEC), Southern Conference, Southland, Sun Belt, West Coast Conference and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
"RMU is proud to be part of the first cohort of athletic directors to sign the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge," RMU Vice President and Director of Athletics
Chris King '94 said. "We applaud AthleticDirectorU, its Board of Advisors and Board of Coaches for an important step in the right direction toward more representative leadership in college athletics, and the commitment to ensure equal opportunity in the hiring of head coaches from underrepresented minority groups."
The Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge will be overseen by an esteemed group of independent higher education and sports leaders who comprise the Board of Advocates and the Board of Coaches. The Board of Advocates will work directly with the third-party clearinghouse designee, James Moore & Co., to conduct a selective review of a representative sample of coaching searches to ensure compliance with the CCDP on an annual basis.
Members of the public can view the names of athletic directors who have signed the pledge, as well as their compliance status, by visiting
www.CollegiateDiversityPledge.com.
Board of Advocates
Katrina Adams – Former CEO & President of the United States Tennis Association
Debbie Antonelli – Leading Women's Basketball TV Analyst
Arne Duncan – Former United States Secretary of Education
Len Elmore – Columbia University Lecturer, Men's Basketball TV Analyst
Richard Lapchick – Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports (TIDES)
Merritt Norvell – Executive Director of National Association For Coaching Equity and Development and former Director of Athletics at Michigan State University
Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow – Associate Faculty Chair, undergraduate program at Indiana University Kelley School of Business and former VP of Diversity & Inclusion at the NCAA
Michael Tennebaum – ESPN NFL Front Office Insider and former EVP/General Manager of the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets
Board of Coaches
Michelle Clark Heard – Head Women's Basketball Coach, University of Cincinnati
Tavaras Hardy – Head Men's Basketball Coach, Loyola (Md.) University
Chris Holtmann – Head Men's Basketball Coach, The Ohio State University
Mike London – Head Football Coach, The College of William & Mary
Van Malone – Assistant Head Football Coach, Kansas State University
Cuonzo Martin – Head Men's Basketball Coach, University of Missouri
Jay Norvell – Head Football Coach, University of Nevada
Joni Taylor – Head Women's Basketball Coach, University of Georgia
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