ATLANTA (March 7, 2017) – Nora Lynn Finch, senior associate commissioner, women’s basketball, at the Atlantic Coast Conference, will receive the 2017 Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her lifelong commitment of service to women’s basketball, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
An avid promoter of women’s basketball, and the inaugural chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, Finch spearheaded the negotiation of the first women’s basketball tournament television contract. She has and continues to serve on numerous NCAA committees, such as the Women’s Basketball Rules Committee, Women’s Basketball Issues Committee, Women’s Collegiate Basketball Officiating LLC Board of Managers, WCBO Competition Committee and the Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee.
On January 16, Finch was named a finalist for the Class of 2017 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Finch joined the ACC in 2008 after serving more than 30 years at North Carolina State University. Prior to serving as N.C. State’s senior associate director and SWA, Finch was associate head coach of the Wolfpack under Kay Yow, as well as head coach at Wake Forest University and Peace College.
Finch will be formally honored during the 2017 WBCA Convention that will be held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in Dallas .
“This award honors legends who have invested their lives to impact the student-athlete and ultimately elevate the game of women’s basketball,” said Danielle Donehew, executive director of the WBCA. “There is no better example of someone who raised the standard of excellence for the game of women’s basketball as a coach, administrator, mentor and teacher, all the while representing our sport with respect and honor, than Nora Lynn Finch. She has demonstrated a profound dedication to the coaching profession and is well deserving of the WBCA’s most prominent career award, the Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award.”
The Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award is named in honor of the late Senda Berenson, who in her role as a physical education instructor at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, introduced “basketball” to her female gym students in 1892. This introduction marked the birth of the women’s game, which occurred the year following basketball’s invention by Dr. James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The award has been presented annually since 1984 and is sponsored by Jostens, a longtime corporate partner of and the official commemorative awards provider for the WBCA. It was called the Jostens-Berenson Service Award through 2006.
“Jostens is honored to partner with the WBCA to provide such a prestigious award to a very deserving recipient,” said Chris Poitras, Jostens Division Vice President, College & Sports. “Ms. Finch’s service in women’s basketball has been nothing short of exceptional, and we’re thrilled to recognize her for this amazing achievement.”
Visit www.wbca.org/recognize/ to see a list of past recipients.
About Jostens
Jostens is a trusted partner in the academic and achievement channel, providing products, programs and services that help its customers celebrate moments that matter. The company's products include yearbooks, publications, jewelry and consumer goods that serve the K-12 educational, college and professional sports segments. Founded in 1897 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jostens is a subsidiary of Newell Brands and can be found online at www.jostens.com.
About Newell Brands
Newell Brands (NYSE: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®, Parker®, Elmer’s®, Coleman®, Jostens®, Marmot®, Rawlings®, Oster®, Sunbeam®, FoodSaver®, Mr. Coffee®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Graco®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Calphalon®, Rubbermaid®, Contigo®, First Alert®, Waddington and Yankee Candle®. For hundreds of millions of consumers, Newell Brands makes life better every day, where they live, learn, work and play.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.
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