Judy Rose, who spent 28 years as the Charlotte 49ers Director of Athletics and more than 40 years with the UNC Charlotte’s Athletics Department, has received the highest honor bestowed upon a collegiate athletics administrator.
She was named the 55th recipient of the James J. Corbett Memorial Award, the highest honor one can achieve in collegiate athletics administration. The honor is presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
During her tenure at UNC Charlotte, Rose was one of the most successful and well-respected athletics directors in the nation. She will be honored in conjunction with the 56th annual NACDA and Affiliates Convention, to be held virtually, July 27-28.
“Judy Rose is a pioneer in women’s athletics and a trailblazer in NACDA’s history,” said Bob Vecchione, NACDA chief executive officer. “Throughout her career, the impact she has had on student-athletes, aspiring administrators and even veterans in the industry is remarkable and inspiring. We are grateful for her influence and the guidance she continues to provide in shaping the new wave of athletics leaders who are following in her footsteps. Recognizing Judy in the year leading up to the 50th anniversary of Title IX adds a historic element to this prestigious honor.”
The Corbett Award is presented annually to the collegiate administrator who "through the years has most typified Corbett's devotion to intercollegiate athletics and worked unceasingly for its betterment." Corbett, athletics director at Louisiana State University, was NACDA's first president in 1965. Additionally, Rose will receive an honorary degree from the Sports Management Institute (SMI), an educational institute sponsored by NACDA and the universities of Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Southern California and Texas.
Rose said, “It is a great honor to be listed beside so many distinguished administrators, many of whom I've been fortunate to work alongside and others whose reputations speak for themselves. I am truly in awe that my peers chose to include me in such prestigious company.”
At the time of her appointment as UNC Charlotte athletics director in 1990, Rose was just the third female to be put in charge of a Division I program. In 1999-2000, she became the first female to serve on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. She served a five-year term (2000-04) on that committee. She also served as NACDA President for the 2003-04 academic year.
Read more about iconic A.D. Judy Rose.