Gulf Coast Athletic Annual Report 2017-2018

ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018

2017-2018

POINTS OF PRIDE 241

STUDENT-ATHLETESWITH GPASOF 3.0 ORBETTER

5,432 HOURSOF SERVICE TO THE COMMNUITY

2 4 COACHES OF THE YEAR 28 NAIA SCHOLAR ATHLETES

& A.I.I. NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

The name of this organization shall be the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC).It is an affiliated conference within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The purpose of the conference will be to regulate and promote all recognized activities of intercollegiate athletics sponsored by member institutions through the maintenance of high standards of honor, integrity, and fair play.

THE GCAC PURPOSE GCAC PRIDE

GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

With a theme of "Focus Forward,"the 2017-2018 athletic year represented yet another watershed moment for the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.Building on the growth the conference experienced last year, the conference continued to expand its reach, both regionally and nationally.

This year,the conference welcomed with open arms its 8th member, Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, growing the conference and allowing for a better competitive balance for all GCAC programs.The addition of Rust speaks to the overall stability and viability of the GCAC, and is one of my proudest moments this year as commissioner.

The GCAC also continued to improve and enhance its digital imprint, livestreaming our first full tournament for men's & women's basketball.The overwhelming success of the conference's first streamed championship provides unparalleled opportunities for the conference to continue its complete rebrand.To put it simply:the GCAC is taking on the digital age, and aims to win!

Not to overlook traditional media, the GCAC garnered significant media attention in 2018,both resulting from the conference's own efforts to those of the GCAC's member-institutions,the GCAC was well-represented in the media on the local,regional and national stages.

As I enter my 5th year as GCAC commissioner, I am looking ever forward to continued growth for the conference, Our athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes,Faculty Athletic Representatives, parents and supporters are exceptional,and I look to them for continued inspiration.

Focus Forward,

Commissioner, Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

STEVEN B. MARTIN Commissioner, Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

GCAC STUDENT-ATHLETES

The GCAC had a record 241 student-athletes named to the Commissioner's Honor Roll. in 2018.

Awarded annually to outstanding student-athletes who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0,are members of an active roster, and have achieved sophomore classification, the Commissioner's Honor Roll is the GCAC's highest individual academic honor ,

SASHA NEWMAN DAKTRONICS-NAIA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE CROSS-COUNTRY

Khalil McCoy (Xavier University) received the 2018 NAIA "Champions of Character" award for men's basketball.

Adriiana Jackson (Dillard University) received the 2018 NAIA "Champions of Character" award for women's basketball. Briana Pace (Xavier University) received USTFCCCA

Academic All-America distinction for women's cross-country.in 2017.

GCAC student-athletes had a record-setting average GPA among all 7 of its member institutions of 3.43. Of that number, 84 had cumulative GPAs above 3.5.

Xavier's Ammiel Williams receives the 2018 Xavier Medal of Honor for best defining the qualities of scholarship,athletics,leadership and service.

Tougaloo's Stanimir Zivulj, Icy Walley, Megan Besecker and Elena Johnson were named Presidential Scholars by the institution.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

GCAC student-athletes completed 5,432 HOURS OF SERVICE to the community in 2017-2018.

GCAC SPORTS

Men's CROSS COUNTRY

-The Edward Waters Tigers earned their first Gulf Coast Athletic Conference cross-country championship in program history,scoring 45 points and earning an average finishing time of 31:05.57.

-Edward Waters' Solomon Stevens was the top overall finisher, completing the men's 8k course in 29:22.Second-place finisher Camren Sewell,representing Xavier University of Louisiana, finished the course in 29:27.13.

-Dillard University Head Track & Field and Cross-Country Coach Bobby Williams was voted Men's Coach of the Year.

WOMen's CROSS COUNTRY

-Xavier University of Louisiana's Gold Nuggets made GCAC history by winning their record 11th women's cross-country championship.The Gold Nuggets finished with 23 points and an average time of 21:47.39.

-Xavier's Maliya Vaughn was the top overall finisher,completing the women's 5k course in 20:43.50.Teammate Taylor Price was the second-place finisher with a time of .20:52.48.Xavier's Brianna Pace also took the third-place spot in 21:47.82.

-Xavier University Head Track & Field and Cross-Country Coach Joseph Moses was voted Women's Coach of the Year.

women's VOLLEYBALL

-The Xavier Gold Nuggets won their 7th straight GCAC Volleyball Championship in 2017, defeating the Dillard University Lady Bleu Devils.

-Dillard University's Shelby Stewart dominated the 2017 volleyball awards season, winning GCAC Player of the Year, Attacker of the Year, and being named All-Conference and All-Tournament.

-Tougaloo's Erika LeFlore was named 2017 GCAC Volleyball Coach of the Year.

WOMen's basketball

-The Dillard University Lady Bleu Devils won their first GCAC women's basketball tournament title since prior to Katrina, defeating the Edward Waters Lady Tigers, 63-59.

-Dillard University's Alyssa Washington was namd the 2018 GCAC Women's Championship Most Valuable Player.Washington had 5 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals in the women's championship match.

-Dillard University's Norbert Rome was named the 2018 GCAC Women's Coach of the Year.

Men's basketball

-The Dillard University Bleu Devils won their third GCAC men's basketball tournament title in as many years,defeating the Xavier University Gold Rush, 86-71.

-Dillard University's Quinton Jackson was namd the 2018 GCAC Men's Championship Most Valuable Player.

-Talladega College's Frederick Summers was named the 2018 GCAC Women's Coach of the Year.

women's TRACK & FIELD

-The Xavier Gold Nuggets won their 2nd straight GCAC Track & Field Championship in 2018,scoring 258 points over two days.

-Xavier University's Alysia Terry and Edward Waters' Ellexsie Haughton tied for 2018 Field Athlete of the Year.SUNO's Argyana Bolton won 2018 Track Athlete of the Year.

-Xavier's Joseph Moses was named 2018 GCAC Track & Field Coach of the Year.

Men's track & field

-The Edward Waters Tigers won their 2nd straight GCAC men's track & field championship, scoring 304 points over two days.

-Edward Waters' Noah Everett was named 2018 Field Athlete of the Year, while the Tigers' Mikevion Hall won 2018 Field Athlete of the Year.

-Xavier's Chris August became the first GCAC athlete to win gold in the inaugural men's 10,000-meter run.

-Edward Waters' Archie Gallon was named the 2018 GCAC Men's Coach of the Year.

gcac HONORS

PAT KENDRICK (xAVIER)

2017 LOUISIANA SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION (LSWA)

VOLLEYBALL COACH OF THEYEAR

JOSEPH MOSES (XAVIER)

2017 LOUISIANA SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION (LSWA)

TRACK & FIELD COACH OF THE YEAR

YOUNNE REID (SUNO)

2017 USTFCCCA SOUTH REGION COACH OF THE YEAR;

2018 NAIA WOMEN'STRACK & FIELD COACH OF THE YEAR

HENRY SMITH (EWC)

2018 BOB HAYES INVITATIONAL

HALL OF FAMEINDUCTEE

thomas billups (TOUGALOO)

2018 MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF COACHES HALL OF FAMEINDUCTEE

GCAC staff

CONFERENCE STAFF

CONFERENCE LEADERSHIP

STEVE MARTIN GCAC COMMISSONER

Sam cook GCAC SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR

GWEN JONES-THIBODAUX GCAC SECRETARY/TREASURER

DR. RODERICK SMOTHERS CHAIRPERSON, GCAC COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS

nate cochran PRESIDENT, GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

JASON HORN VICE-PRESIDENT, GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

the gcac experience

gcac digital media

BY THENUMBERS

GCAConf.com

113,850 page views

GCAC-TV

-The GCAC broadcast its first championship via live stream in 2018.The 2018 GCAC Men's & Women's Basketball Tournament games were live streamed in their entirety on Stretch Internet--a conference first.

-The 2018 live broadcast of the tournament had 1,432 viewers over three days.

-The rebroadcasts of the tournament had 1,297 viewers.

Youtube

3,223 video views

Social Media

1,234 followers

Twitter =421

Facebook =142

Instagram =256

Snapchat =403

Periscope =12

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS the GCAC experience

the GCAC experience

2018 GCAC DIGITAL BENCHMARKS

Twitter

-145K impressions from March 1-March 9

-9,916 profile visits from March 1-March 9

-183 mentions of the @GCACInfo account

-220K impressions over 30 days

-14.1K profile visits over 30 days

-256 mentions of the @GCACInfo account over 30 day Web Site

-14,708 page visits in March;we had 19,034 in February

-2,450 first time visitors to the Web site in March;we had 2,045 in February

-3,039 visitors to the Web site in March;

- 5,494 visits to the Web site in March

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS THE GCAC experience

WORLD-CLASS VENUES

World-class GCAC Championship venues are central to the GCAC Experience for fans, supporters and student-athletes.Venues for 2017-2018 championships included historic Tad Gormley Stadium (New Orleans), scenic Choctaw Trails (Jackson, Miss.) and Xavier University's Convocation Center.

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS THE GCAC experience

wyndham hotels

The student-athlete experience is central to the mission of the GCAC, and is vital to providing lifelong appreciation for the GCAC. The GCAC has partnered with Wyndham Garden family of hotels to provide world-class, quality hotel accommodations for student-athletes at our 8 member institutions as they travel for competition.

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS THE GCAC experience

adidas apparel

A world class experience has to have world class apparel, and the GCAC's unique apparel deal with multinational apparel brand adidas does just that.

The GCAC's adidas deal has included t-shirts and other items for championships and special events, as well as apparel for its 8 schools.