2007 to 2008 – National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators

Bernadette V. McGlade led many organizational initiatives during her time as president, including hosting NACWAA’s first regional conference during the ACC women’s basketball tournament, reformatting the National Convention Awesome Auction, the development of the Award of Distinction, and a record-high convention attendance of 417.

In the words of Bernie:

“I have been involved with the organization since the very beginning, and it has been amazing to see the growth. NACWAA continues to grow with increased membership and programming expansion at convention, and this organization provides exceptional opportunities with an unbelievable network of successful female leaders in the business of intercollegiate athletics. These women are not only professional colleagues and strong leaders, but also dear friends.”

 During her presidency, the National Convention Awesome Auction was reformatted and enhanced, which resulted in a $49,000 single-night fundraising event, and every NACWAA committee implemented new initiatives to align with the mission and future of the organization.

“The doors are being opened and the glass ceiling is slowly being chipped away. The influence of women and good thinking is going to continue to advance intercollegiate athletics in countless ways for student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and even the leadership of our country,” Bernie said.

Other major accomplishments from NACWAA during her presidency:

• Joined forces with the Women’s Leadership Symposium to hold two joint conferences (Boston and Chicago)
• Held second Leadership Enhancement Institute in conjunction with NACWAA/HERS West
• The Planned Giving Legacy Program added two new members
• Two interns added to support all National Office services.
• Hired three full-time employees

NACWAA continued to be committed to recognizing the achievements and successes of administrators working in athletics. Click here to view all NACWAA/ Women Leaders in College Sports award winners.

Jennifer Alley, Ex-Officio, NACWAA
Darlene Bailey, William Jewell College
Tina Cheatham, Southland Conference
Joan Cronan, Past President, University of Tennessee
Carolyn Schlie Femovich, Patriot League
Julie Hermann, University of Louisville
Katie Hickey, Rutgers University
Lynn Holzman, NCAA
Dr. Christine Hoyles, Pacific-10 Conference
Roxanne Levenson, Pepperdine University
Germaine McAuley, Spelman College
Mary McElroy, Georgia State
Barbara Osborne, University of North Carolina
Roberta Page, Shippensburg University
Tracey Ranieri, State University of New York at Oneonta
Barbara Schroeder, President-Elect, Regis University
Faith Shearer, Elon University
Julie Soriero, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Judy Sweet, Ex-Officio, NCAA

Upon the election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America, Michelle Obama became the first African American first lady of the United States. 

Michelle is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School and prior to her role as first lady, she was an extremely successful Chicago attorney. As first lady, Michelle served as a role model for women and worked as an advocate for poverty awareness, education, nutrition, and physical activity.

Bernadette V. McGlade is one of the most well-respected and experienced leaders in Division l athletics, and she has served as the Commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference since 2008. Her efforts in those 11 years have resulted in the addition of three members (Davidson, George Mason and VCU), multi-year partnerships with major pro arenas in Brooklyn (Barclays Center) and Washington, D.C. (Capital One Arena), to serve as the site of the A-10 Men’s Basketball Championship and an extensive record-breaking television contracts with ESPN, CBS Sports, NBCSN and Stadium for long-term coverage of Atlantic 10 men’s and women’s basketball.

She is currently serving a five-year term on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, the fifth woman to serve on the committee and one of just a small handful of people to serve on both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees. She chaired the women’s committee in 1999 and 2000. Bernadette was also a member of the Division I Council, having served as the Collegiate Commissioner’s Association (CCA) representative. 

Bernadette spent 11 years at the ACC before her arrival at the Atlantic 10.  During that time she transformed the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, resulting in capacity crowds while designing an extensive educational outreach program which is still in place today.  Additionally, she spearheaded a partnership with the Greensboro based breast cancer foundation “Friend, for an earlier detection” resulting in over $200,000 raised over several years. She also founded the South Atlantic Women’s Basketball Officiating program for the ACC and three other Division I conferences.

Prior to the ACC, McGlade served for 17 years at Georgia Tech. She was hired in 1981 at the age of 23 — one of the youngest Division I head women’s basketball coaches in the nation and the first full-time female coach at Georgia Tech. Bernadette was the Tournament Director for the 1993 NCAA Women’s Final Four, implementing a marketing strategy that led to the first advanced sellout of a Women’s Final Four. Bernadette also was appointed to develop the GTAA’s Strategic Plan for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, which guided the Institute through the Games serving as the Olympic Village for all athletes and a combination of competition venues.

She has been a featured speaker at the NCAA Women’s Final Four Leadership Forum, Women Leaders in College Sports National Conventions and has presented at the Sports Business Journal’s Game Changer Conference in New York City. 

In 2000, McGlade was recognized as the WBCA National Administrator of the Year, was inducted into the Georgia Tech Athletic Association Hall of Fame and the South Jersey Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Two years later, in 2002, Georgia Tech honored McGlade as one of the 50 First Women of the Institute. McGlade was named to the ACC Women’s Basketball 50th Anniversary Team and in 2008, the YWCA of Greensboro, N.C., presented her with the Kay Yow Outstanding Female in Sports award. She was named an ACC Legend by UNC as a player in 2010 and by Georgia Tech as a coach in 2012, the first person with the distinction of being an ACC Legend as a player and coach. In 2014 she was honored by NACWAA as an Administrator of the Year and one of Sports Business Journal’s “Game Changers.”

A native of Gloucester City, N.J., Bernadette earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of North Carolina.

Learn more about Bernadette “Bernie” McGlade in her Women Leaders Podcast episode.