ATLANTA (March 20, 2024) — The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today the winners of the 2024 WBCA Assistant Coaches of the Year awards presented by Aflac.
WBCA Assistant Coach of the Year is presented to one associate head coach or assistant coach in each membership division who demonstrates commitment to their program, their student-athletes, and their head coach; their impact coaching on court; their mentorship and impact on other coaches; and their professional manner and attitude. Aflac will present the award at the WBCA Convention for the second year.
The 2024 WBCA Assistant Coaches of the Year are:
|
DIVISION |
COACH |
INSTITUTION |
|
NCAA Division I |
Kate Paye |
Stanford University |
|
NCAA Division II |
Brittany Batts |
Gannon University |
|
NCAA Division III |
Hannah Varel |
Transylvania University |
|
NAIA |
Sierra Vaglica |
Vanguard University |
|
Two-Year College |
Katie Jones |
Johnson County Community College |
Paye, who also received the NCAA Division I honor in 2022, becomes the first two-time Assistant Coach of the Year winner in any division since the award began in 2016.
“The role of an assistant coach is vital in reinforcing a positive student-athlete environment with encouragement, excellence, structure, security, support and integrity. The WBCA is proud to honor these individuals as our assistant coaches of the year in their respective divisions of membership," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “Each coach was selected by vote of their peers, and the WBCA celebrates and applauds their lasting commitment to use our game as a platform to positively impact their student-athletes, institutions and communities.
“We also thank Aflac for renewing its presenting sponsorship of the Assistant Coach of the Year awards and its continuing support of the WBCA and the sport of women’s basketball.”
Last year, Aflac worked with the WBCA and 2022 Division I National Coach of the Year Dawn Staley to introduce Dawn's List, which aims to address some of the equity issues in women's college basketball. As a part of this initiative, Aflac will continue helping raise awareness for the next generation of assistant coaches through sponsorship of the WBCA and the Assistant Coaches of the Year award. In celebration and support of these coaches, Aflac will be flying each honoree to Cleveland, Ohio, where they will be presented with their award during the opening session of the 2024 WBCA Convention on April 4.
“Our sponsorship of the WBCA Assistant Coach of the Year Awards proudly celebrates the coaches who are building their athletes into leaders, both on and off the court,” said Aflac Chief Marketing Officer Garth Knutson. “Much like the elite teams rely on their assistant coaches, Aflac helps close the gap health insurance leaves behind. We are excited to honor the coaches who prioritize player wellness, positively impacting the future of women’s sports.”
In honor of these coaches and the work the WBCA does to promote equity and community engagement, Aflac will give $5,000 to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in each coach’s name, donating $25,000. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a nonprofit organization named after Coach Yow, former NC State women’s college basketball coach, and is dedicated to supporting innovative ways of fighting all cancers affecting women and providing support through giving strength, courage and hope.
Visit www.wbca.org to see a list of past recipients of the award.
ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 68 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.1 In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under “Sustainability.”
About the WBCA
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, 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 WBCA.org for more details about the association.
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