ADVOCATES FOR ATHLETIC EQUITY NAME KAM GISSENDANNER DIVISION III COACH OF THE YEAR
La Roche College women's basketball head coach Kamela Gissendanner has been named the Advocates for Athletic Equity Division III Coach of the Year.
La Roche College women's basketball head coach Kamela Gissendanner has been named the Advocates for Athletic Equity Division III Coach of the Year. Coach Gissendanner was honored at the AAE membership meeting on Sunday in Indianapolis, Indiana which is held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four.
"It is such an honor and a humble moment in my young career", said Coach Gissendanner. "The award says Coach of the Year but I truly believe this is a staff and team award. Without great people surrounding me this would not be possible. I want to send a big thank you to the AAE for recognizing all of our hard efforts and all they do for our game. "
Monica Maxwell, the manager of events and membership with Advocates for Athletic Equity was equally thrilled with the selection. "We were honored and excited to present Coach Gissendanner and La Roche College the award, her team had an outstanding year, capped by the winning of this award".
The Advocates for Athletic Equity's (originally Black Coaches Association) primary focus and mission is to advocate for and promote ethnic minority coaches. Their Board of Directors vote on Coach of the Year candidates and select a coach of the year at the Division I (Dawn Staley, South Carolina), Division II (AnnMarie Gilbert, Virginia Union), and Division III (Kamela Gissendanner, La Roche) levels as well as a newcomer of the year (Joni Taylor, Georgia).
Coach Gissendanner has been La Roche's head coach since the 2012-13 season. Under Coach Gissendanner, La Roche has won four straight AMCC Conference Championships and played in four straight NCAA Tournaments. She has coached two AMCC Players of the Year, four AMCC Defensive Players of the Year, three All-Region performers and seven AMCC All-Conference performers. She was also the 2012-13 AMCC Co-Coach of the Year.
You can find read more about the Advocates for Athletic Equity on the organization's website www.aaesports.org under the about AAE tab.