Two GLIAC Members Awarded NCAA Division II Coaching Enhancement Grants

INDIANAPOLIS - Division II has awarded coaching enhancement grants to 18 institutions to create new assistant coaching positions.  Members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) received two of the 18 grants.

Grand Valley State University received the grant to fund a women's lacrosse assistant coaching position, while Northwood University will use the allocation to fund a women's basketball assistant coaching position.

"We are thrilled to be a recipient of an NCAA DII Coaching Enhancement Grant," stated Grand Valley State Director of Athletics Tim Selgo.  "This will be very helpful to us in providing support with an assistant coaching position for our new Women's Lacrosse program.  It will allow our Head Coach, Alicia Groveston, an opportunity to do more things with our program as we build it from the ground up."

The every-other-year grants were established to address access, recruitment, selection and long-term success of women, ethnic minorities and other individuals in Division II. The program seeks to overcome hiring barriers by providing funds that help schools create assistant coaching positions.

“We are very appreciative of the NCAA for making this grant available and recognizing our needs as a department, stated Dave Marsh, Northwood Associate Director of Athletics.  "The grant will allow us to continue to build our women’s athletics program and allow us to provide our student-athletes the opportunity to have the most positive experience possible.”

A selection committee composed of institutional personnel decides the grant recipients. Selections occur every two years and are based on an institution’s demonstrated commitment to diversity and history of inclusiveness. 

The grant provides $16,000 each year to the institution to fund the new assistant coach position. The school is required to contribute an additional $8,000 annually. The position created must be a new, full-time assistant coach position, not an existing one.

"The GLIAC is proud to have two institutions receive this grant," stated GLIAC Commissioner Dell Robinson.  "We are hopeful that more institutions within our league, as well as Division II members, apply for this grant in the future."

Following are the grant recipients for 2010-11 and 2011-12:

• Bloomsburg – assistant men’s and women’s swimming coach
• Indiana (Pennsylvania) – assistant softball coach
• Mercy – assistant women’s lacrosse coach and equipment coordinator
• Montevallo – assistant women’s volleyball coach
• Saint Augustine’s – assistant women’s cross country and track and field coach
• Texas A&M-Kingsville – assistant track and field and cross country coach
• Winona State – assistant track and field coach (jumps)
• Fort Lewis – assistant women’s soccer coach
• Grand Valley State – assistant women’s lacrosse coach
• Midwestern State – assistant women’s soccer coach
• Nebraska-Omaha – assistant strength and conditioning coach
• Quincy – assistant football coach
• West Texas A&M – assistant men’s and women track and field coach
• Lincoln (Missouri) – assistant men’s and women’s golf coach
• Clark Atlanta – assistant softball coach/recruiting coordinator
• Glenville State – assistant women’s track coach
• Minnesota State Mankato – assistant women’s swimming and diving coach
• Northwood – assistant women’s basketball coach