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| Coach Yolanda Brown |
New Orleans, Louisiana -- It is with great honor that our Dillard University Athletic Department announce that Women's Head Volleyball Coach Yolanda Brown was named a finalist for Female Coach of the Year by The Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, Inc. last week.
Winners will be announced at the Second Annual HBCU Awards, which will be held on the campus of Bowie State University. Nominees for the Female Coach of the Year award will have demonstrated a winning conference record in her respective sport and exemplary ambassadorship for her institution during the 2010-11 academic year.
During the 2010-11 season, Coach Brown's volleyball team finished with an overall record of 20-11, including 5-1 in the GCAC Conference. The Lady Bleu Devils team also captured the GCAC Regular Season Conference title, the GCAC Conference Tournament title and secured a NAIA National Volleyball Tournament berth, all being the volleyball program's first since 2003.
"I was honored and overwhelmed actually," said Coach Brown when asked of her impressions of being nominated. "I received the news via text messaging, so it was shocking, yet humbling and I felt very grateful that someone took the time to acknowledge my efforts and body of work."
The HBCU award nominations is a three-month process in which the HBCU Media Advocacy, Inc. goes through more than 1,300 entries submitted by administrators, students, alumni, faculty and supporters of HBCUs throughout the country. A panel of HBCU chancellors and presidents then names the finalists and winners.
"We were lucky to have such widespread support and participation for our inaugural awards in March of this year," said Jarrett L. Carter Sr., Founder and Executive Director of the Center. "Schools took this year's nomination process very seriously, and combining that with the feedback we received on our last effort, we're proud to show off a slate of nominees and a ceremony that will represent the best of HBCU culture."
During her current tenure in the Dillard Athletic Department, Coach Brown has shown an unflagging determination to restore a winning pedigree back into Dillard's Volleyball team, and as a staff member restoring prestige back to the department.
"Since Hurricane Katrina, our athletic department's goal has been to regain the prominence in all sports," said Coach Brown. "And with our volleyball program being the first conference champion following the storm shows what we have accomplished and the direction we are head in. It's only the start for bigger and better things to come for our athletic department."
Coach Brown has proven excellent ambassadorship and community engagement as Head Volleyball Coach at Dillard University, which is also a criteria for her nomination for this award.
Coach Brown has been instrumental in developing "DU Pink Night", which is a game night to acknowledge Breast Cancer Awareness as well as an all out effort to enlighten and alert students and fans of the symptoms of breast cancer, where to go locally for check-ups and how to reduce the possibly of getting breast cancer in our young adults.
Brown has also developed a "Faculty, Staff and Administrators Night", acknowledging those faculty, staff and administrators that don't always get the credit or recognition for the hard work that they do to academically challenge our student-athletes to help shape them into the best overall person he/she knows they can be before they leave college.
Brown's latest project is organizing and developing a volleyball skills club for underprivileged girls ages 10-13 throughout the Orleans and Jefferson parishes.
"We are building a consistent winner with all sports in our athletic department," said Coach Brown. "I'm only doing what I feel I've been destined to do. I appreciate the acknowledgements and nominations because it will always let me know the importance of my effort and the positive impact I can make in these kid's lives.
By Dillard University Sports Information
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