Year-end awards announced marking end of an era
NEW ORLEANS - As the tide turns from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference to officially becoming the HBCU Athletic Conference, Commissioner Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes announced the league's annual end-of-year awards. The announcement came at the conference's year-end business meeting, which was held at Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Ark.
"This is one of my favorite times of the year, where we get to recognize the incredible accomplishments and leadership of our student-athletes and member school leadership," said Baker Barnes.
This is the final annual awards under the name Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. The league officially becomes the HBCU Athletic Conference on July 1, 2024.
"We are excited about our name change and what it represents, and I look forward to continuing these awards and honors as the HBCUAC," Baker Barnes said.
Talladega College, which returned to the GCAC in 2023, takes home the Thomas Howell Cup, the league's all-sports award. The Thomas Howell Cup is named for the GCAC's first commissioner Dr. Thomas Howell, who served the conference for more than three decades. The Howell Cup is awarded annually to the member institution that accumulates the greatest number of points in competition that year in all sports (men's and women's) sponsored by the conference and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Points are derived through regular season standings for volleyball, basketball, and baseball, and the conference championship for cross country and outdoor track and field.
The Tornadoes tallied 52 total points to capture this year's Howell Cup. Talladega got off to a strong start, winning the 2023 GCAC Volleyball Regular Season title. The Tornadoes finished the volleyball season with an impressive, program-best 31-9 record, becoming one of just three schools in the NAIA with more than 30 wins this year. They then finished fourth in men's cross country and runners-up in women's cross country. Men's basketball stayed hot all season and finished as the GCAC Runners-Up. The Tornadoes went on to finish runners-up in baseball, and men's and women's outdoor track and field to secure the league's all-sports award.
"The Howell Cup is very special as it honors our league's first commissioner, Dr. Thomas Howel. I have learned a lot from him from the moment I stepped foot on campus as athletic director, and he continues to provide valuable advice and insight to all our members," Baker Barnes explained.
GCAC Distinguished Member Awards were also announced. The awards, given annually, are voted on by respective GCAC council members. Points are based on peer-to-peer rankings of each council member and the administrator with the most points is awarded the honor. All conference honorees are nominated for the NAIA award. The national award recipient is announced publicly during NAIA National Awards Day in September and will be presented with a certificate and recognized at an annual function in conjunction with the NAIA National Convention.
The 2024 GCAC Distinguished Member Awardees are as follows:
Athletic Director of the Year
Dr. Karen Carty, University of the Virgin Islands
Faculty Athletics Representative of the Year
Alvin Carter, Tougaloo College
Sports Information Director of the Year
Andrew Glover, Wiley University
Athletic Trainer of the Year
Nia Stewart, Dillard University