TALLAHASSEE , Fla.  — Two Elizabeth City State University athletic coaches have been selected as recipients of the WeCOACH: Women Coaches Academy scholarship. Head Volleyball Coach Rasha Gladney and Head Softball Coach Jessica Villegas will attend the upcoming 55th class of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy (WCA), set to take place November 16–18, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Hosted in collaboration with the NCAA, this impactful Academy offers a multi-day transformational experience focused on leadership development and personal growth for women coaches across all sports and collegiate levels, including both two-year and four-year institutions.

Since its inception, more than 2,400 coaches have graduated from the NCAA Women Coaches Academy. Class #55 features 78 women coaches representing 18 different sports and a combined 679 years of coaching experience. Participants represent institutions across NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, as well as the NAIA and NJCAA.

NCAA Statement

"The NCAA is proud to continue its partnership with WeCOACH as we welcome the 55th class of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy to our National Office in Indianapolis," said DeeDee Merritt Guster, NCAA Managing Director of Leadership Development.

"We are especially excited to help host this year's class in our home city, where our mission to educate and empower student-athletes, coaches, and athletics administrators comes to life every day. This Academy continues to deliver transformative learning experiences that strengthen leadership and support the advancement and retention of women coaches in collegiate athletics. WeCOACH remains an invaluable partner in this work — and through collaborations like this, we are able to broaden our reach and deepen our impact across the coaching community."

Highlights of the 2025 Academy

A highlight of this year's Academy will be the presentation of the 2024–25 WeCOACH Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Jostens, honoring Tara VanDerveer for her lasting impact on the coaching profession.
Attendees will also gain inspiration through a keynote conversation with Coach VanDerveer.

The Academy will feature a powerhouse discussion, "Coaches Unfiltered: The Ask Anything Panel," moderated by DeeDee Merritt Guster, and featuring distinguished women in sport:

• Raquel Atawo (WCA #52)
• Sharon Clark (WCA #4)
• ​​​​​​Lin Dunn​​​​​​
• Deanna Gumpf (WCA #25)
• ​​​​​​Britt Harvey (WCA #42 / A2.0 #2)
• Carol "Hutch" Hutchins​​​​​​​
• Lori Kerans (WCA #33)
• ​​​​​​​Muffet McGraw
• Shonda Stanton (WCA #36)

This interactive session will give participants the opportunity to authentically engage with trailblazers, sharing insights, experiences, and advice.

A Transformational Experience

"The Academy experience is nothing short of transformational," said Vanessa Fuchs, CEO of WeCOACH.

"Bringing this program to the NCAA National Office further elevates the impact — immersing women coaches in an environment committed to advancing leadership and strengthening the future of college sports. Our participants leave feeling renewed and equipped with tools, strategies, and a powerful sisterhood of support that extends far beyond the Academy.

Data continues to show that our graduates remain in the coaching profession at rates well above the national average — and that retention is exactly the kind of change we are dedicated to scaling alongside the NCAA. We're also incredibly proud to expand access by awarding more than $38,000 in scholarship funding for Indianapolis participants, thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners."

Acknowledgements

WeCOACH extends deep gratitude to the NCAA for its longstanding partnership and support.

We also recognize this year's Academy Partners, whose generosity makes these programs possible:
BAND, BSN SPORTS, Gatorade, Hudl, Marines, Simple Modern, Alex Morgan Foundation, Athlete Assessments, Bakline, Becky Ahlgren Bedics Consulting, The Coaches' Coach (Betsy Butterick), Equitable Advisors (Latrice Smith), Jostens, LoveAthlete (Nevin Caple), Natasha Watley Foundation, The Sports Bra Project, This One Media, and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport.

Additional sponsorship support was provided by several conferences and sport associations, including:
CCIW, CIAA, G-MAC, HCAC, Liberty League, MAC, NCAA, NCATA, NEWMAC, NJCAA, Pac-12, PSAC, and SSC.

About the NCAA

The NCAA is an association of more than 1,100 colleges and universities, creating opportunities for over 500,000 student-athletes each year. The NCAA supports the academic and athletic success of its members while hosting 54,000 student-athletes annually in NCAA championships.
For more information, visit www.ncaa.org
 or www.ncaa.com
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About WeCOACH

Founded in 2011, WeCOACH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and competitive levels through professional growth and leadership development programs.

Prior to Title IX, over 90% of women's collegiate teams were coached by women; today that number is 41%, with only 7% of head coaches being women of color. WeCOACH's MOVE the NUMBERS initiative, launched in 2022, seeks to change this trajectory and empower visibility for women in sport.

If she can see her, she can be her.
Learn more or support a scholarship at WeCOACH.org
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