COMMISSIONER BARNES NAIA RISE LEADER OF THE YEAR, FOUR SCHOOLS WITH SCHOLAR TEAMS
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - September 20, 2024 - The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Commissioner Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes wins National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Rise Leader of the Year, and four institutions had Scholar Teams, the NAIA announced during National Awards Day on Monday.
Barnes earned the award for being an outstanding leader in the NAIA based on accomplishments in the areas of Respect, Inclusivity, Support and Education initiatives and service to the NAIA. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes has set a new standard of excellence for intercollegiate athletics. As the first African American woman commissioner of the NAIA, Dr. Barnes has played a pivotal role in shaping NAIA RISE initiatives across the association and industry. In her various roles, Dr. Barnes has used her visionary leadership to create an environment where everyone can participate, excel, and advance in their athletic, academic, and career pursuits.
Most recently, Dr. Barnes brought the conference back to the national forefront. She signed the NAIA's largest media rights deal in 2022 with Urban Edge Network, giving member schools a platform to exclusively host their content. Seven schools have joined the conference since 2022. She led a rebranding effort to transition the conference to the HBCU Athletic Conference – a change that honors the legacy and importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. At the conference "Where Winners Thrive," Dr. Barnes has fostered an environment where individuals can fulfill their athletic and academic potential through the HBCU culture and experience.
Dr. Barnes' unwavering dedication to NAIA RISE has not only transformed the landscape of intercollegiate athletics but has inspired the next generation of character-driven leaders. This award adds to Barnes' legacy as she was also named Commissioner of the Year by HBCU Sports during the summer.
A team earns NAIA Scholar Team if they have a team grade-point average of 3.0 for the 2023-2024 academic year. Stillman College, which joined the conference in July had the most with its women's volleyball, women's cross country, women's basketball, men's bowling, baseball, and softball teams accomplishing the feat. Voorhees University, which also joined the HBCUAC in July had three teams - Men's Cross Country, Men's Indoor Track and Field, and Women's Cross Country. Southern University at New Orleans' women's volleyball and women's basketball teams earned NAIA Scholar Team. Wiley University's women's soccer and cross country teams achieved the standard.
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About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.