FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WINTHROP, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference hosted its biennial Professional Development Seminar (PDS) last Thursday, August 9 at the Eleanor Welch Casey Theatre on the campus of Regis College in Weston, Mass.
More than 230 coaches and administrators were in attendance to take in the programming, while a number of student-athletes from the newly launched GNAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committe were also on hand and assisted GNAC Commissioner Joe Walsh with the conference's awards presentation.
The theme of the seminar was 'Sportsmanship' as John Carroll Senior Director of Athletics Michelle Morgan and Wittenberg Director of Athletics Gary Williams, two of the top trained facilitators nationwide for GameDay the DIII Way, flew to Boston to conduct their presentation on the experience.
The training is focused on a common purpose to create a respectful and engaging educational environment through athletics, for everyone. It is built around four key service standards and behaviors – safety, responsiveness, dignity and experience – in an effort to help administrators and game managers ensure appropriate fan behavior at Division III contests across the country.
NCAA Division III has partnered with the Disney Insitute in launching this facility training to tackle fan behavior issues.
The GNAC and Commissioner Walsh have hosted numerous PDS events in past years (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016), with past PDS themes including campus risk reduction strategies, academic intervention, student-athlete mental health awareness, and gender equity and diversity.
Upon arrival, GNAC administrators were greeted in the Regis Fine Arts Center with a continental breakfast and a group of vendors, including Team IMPACT, SquadLocker, Reading Trophy, and the Boston Red Sox.
Following opening remarks by Regis President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN, and Rivier University President Sister Paula Marie Buley, IHM, the GNAC presented its annual school and individual awards prior to the Morgan and Williams presentation. For the complete list of winners, please see below.
After the presentation, all GNAC coaches broke out across the Regis campus for in-person preseason meetings by sport. The GNAC's athletic trainers, sports information directors, athletic directors, and presidents groups also met with one another. Also in attendance was NCAA Division III Assistant Director of Governance Communications Adam Skaggs, as well as former NCAA Division III staffer Chris Brown, who recently joined the GNAC office in a compliance consulant role.
GNAC MEN'S COMMISSIONER'S CUP - Johnson & Wales University (RI)
GNAC WOMEN'S COMMISSIONER'S CUP - Johnson & Wales University (RI)
GNAC EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR - Jamie Marcoux, Johnson & Wales University (RI)
GNAC SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR - Amy Barry, Suffolk University
GNAC ATHLETIC TRAINER OF THE YEAR - Katy Annunziata, Mount Ida College
GNAC WOMAN OF THE YEAR - Raquel Pederzani, Johnson & Wales University (RI)
MEN'S INSTITUTIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD - Regis (Mass.)
WOMEN'S INSTITUTIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD - University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement.
– #TheGNAC –
PHOTO GALLERY: 2018 GNAC PDS - August 9, Regis (Mass.)
