Seven athletics administrators were recognized as the most recent graduates of the NCAA Fellows Leadership Development program at a graduation ceremony June 12 in Indianapolis.

The 2005-06 class of NCAA Fellows includes M. Grace Calhoun, associate director of athletics, Indiana University, Bloomington; Kevin G. Clark, associate director of athletics/financial business office manager, Indiana University, Bloomington; Philip D. Grayson, associate director of athletics for student-athlete welfare, Clemson University; Jill Marie La Point, associate director of athletics for student services and senior woman administrator, Providence College; Tracey Ranieri, senior associate director of athletics and head women’s soccer coach, State University College at Oneonta; Etienne Thomas, director of compliance, San Jose State University; and Tonia Walker, associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator, Winston-Salem State University.

Established in 1994, the purpose of the 18-month program is to identify and provide enhanced leadership and employment opportunities to ethnic minorities and women aspiring to top-level athletics administration positions such as athletics director and conference commissioner. Participants work under the direction of an NCAA executive mentor, gain exposure to a wide variety of units within the athletics department and are required to complete an implementation project.

At Indiana, Calhoun oversees academic advising for student-athletes, while Clark, now in his fifth year on the Bloomington campus, is a key player in the development and administration of the department’s budget.

Grayson, a former NCAA national office staff member with membership services, has spent the past two years at Clemson, where he coordinates staff members with responsibilities pertaining to student-athlete well-being. Providence’s La Point is responsible for managing multiple

varsity sports programs, including women’s basketball, and she assists in the overall administration of the athletics department. A 14-year veteran of the Oneonta State staff, Ranieri’s main duties include overseeing academic services, compliance and eligibility and CHAMPS/life skills.

Thomas is in charge of the compliance area at San Jose State and is completing a juris doctorate from the college of law at the University of Iowa. Walker, the 2006 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Senior Woman Administrator of the Year, is responsible for the internal operations of the athletics department at Winston-Salem State and has played a key role in fund-raising efforts, CHAMPS/life skills and the student-athlete advisory committee.

For more information about the NCAA Fellows program, see www.ncaa.org and select the diversity link under the "About the NCAA" tab.

Five members of the Elizabeth City State University coaching staff recently demonstrated their teamwork skills when they helped rescue two men in an overturned boat.

The group, which also included an assistant coach from Saint Augustine’s College, was returning from a fishing trip that capped their annual retreat when they came upon a small sailboat floating on its side. The sailboat’s passengers, two men, were wearing lifejackets and clinging to the side of the vessel.

After linking the two boats with a rope, the coaches — Waverly Tillar (football), Terrance Whittle (baseball), Shawn Walker (men’s basketball), Anton Thomas (softball), Alico Dunk (men’s basketball) and Tremayne Henry (football at Saint Augustine’s College), formed a human chain to help pull the two men out of the water.

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the Coca-Cola Company announced the recipients of the 2005-06 Coca-Cola Community All-American awards.

The program recognizes student-athletes who are making a difference in their communities. Coca-Cola will donate $5,000 to the community or philanthropic cause of each recipient’s choice. Winners will be recognized June 21 at the 41st annual NACDA convention.

This year’s NCAA honorees are Garret Johnson, Florida State University; Steve Hutcheson, Iona College; Kara Vaneck, Boston University; Katie Hensley, Emporia State University; and Patricia Roberts, Washington and Lee University.

Coca-Cola Community All-Americans also were selected from institutions in New Orleans. The athletics department at each school will receive a $5,000 contribution. Those winners are Mario Faranda, Loyola University; Anthony Linn, Dillard University; James Parlow, University of New Orleans; Will Young, Delgado College; Craig Gelhardt, Tulane University; Sheronda Nash, Xavier University; and Yhann Plummer, Southern University.