The Big 10, SEC, Big 12, ACC and Pac-12 have a new Power Five to compete with, only now it’s out of the MEAC.
This HBCU Power Five is all Black and consists of five female athletic directors who are leading their programs to new heights in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
It’s an inspirational site to behold, particularly for MEAC commissioner, Sonja. O. Stills, who became the conference’s first female commissioner in October 2021.
“The MEAC is clearly showing that female leaders are the norm and that given the opportunity, we will rise to the occasion,” said Stills on the MEAC’s site. “What an amazing way to show the progress of Title IX during its 50th anniversary.”
The five women from the eight-member HBCU conference are Tara A. Owens (Maryland Eastern Shore), Alecia Shields-Gadson (Delaware State), Melody Webb (Norfolk State), Dena Freeman-Patton (Morgan State) and Keshia Campbell (South Carolina State).
College sports often lack diversity in positions of leadership, so the MEACs Power 5 is as significant as it is powerful.
“There is no excuse why an organization or institution cannot find a diverse pool of talented and experienced women of color who can lead in a male-dominated field,” said Stills. “I am extremely proud to be surrounded by such wonderful women who share in the vision of the conference.”
Not only do they share the same vision, but they all share similar backgrounds, including lengthy experience in athletics administration. Some even have collegiate coaching experience.
Tara Owens, who assumed her position at Maryland Eastern Shore this past September, joined the university after four years as Central State University’s Director of Athletics.
After serving as Delaware State’s interim Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Alecia Shields-Gadson, who has over 30 years of experience in college sports administration and coaching, was given the official title in August 2021.
Melody Webb was the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration for six years at Norfolk State before becoming both its Athletic Director in July 2020 and the first woman to hold that title in program history.
Dena Freeman-Patton is a history maker like Webb, for when she was named Morgan State’s Vice President and Director for Intercollegiate Athletics in May 2022, she became the first woman to lead its athletic operations in the school’s 155-year history.
When Keshia Campbell was named South Carolina State’s acting Director of Athletics in August 2022, she not only brought a wealth of experience to the position but also South Carolina State Hall of Fame credentials to her alma mater.
“It is certainly something special to celebrate,” Freeman-Patton said. “Here we are, Black women sitting at the table in Division I. One of the things that I came to realize is that it’s just not good to have a seat at the table, but the biggest seat at the table. That is how we affect change.”
