DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Corliss Fingers, Bethune-Cookman Director of Strength & Conditioning for the Department of Athletics, was recently awarded the Judy Sweet Award at the NCAA Women Coaches Academy in Denver. The award was given to Fingers at the WCA Convention on Saturday, Dec. 2.
 
The award, named in honor of Judith M. Sweet, served as the former Co-Director of the Alliance of Women Coaches and is a consultant for Title IX and gender equity initiatives. Previously she was NCAA Senior Vice President for Championships and Education Services, and prior to that Judy served as Director of Athletics at the University of California, San Diego for 24 years.
 
Fingers, now in her third year with the BCU Department of Athletics, attended the NCAA Women Coaches Academy (WCA), hosted in partnership between the Alliance of Women Coaches and the NCAA.
 
"Attending the NCAA WCA was a wonderful experience and an opportunity to recharge," expressed Fingers. There were outstanding (female) coaches from all over the country doing amazing work with our student-athletes. I came away with several ideas to help push our programs and teams to another level – mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
 
"I was able to get better as a coach, but I got better as a person, as well. To be selected by my peers for such an award is a tremendous honor. It inspires me and reminds me that I am pushing to be great for so many other women with dreams to smash through the ceilings."
 
This past September, Fingers was featured on the YouTube and internet series "Beyond the Chalk". PLAE followed Fingers throughout her day-to-day routine with BCU, as well as at home to chronicle the nationally-acclaimed strength coach's daily regiment balancing work and personal life.
 
To access the feature, please click here on the company's official Facebook page.
 
The video will also be available on the official PLAE YouTube page by accessing it here.
 
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About the WCA
The four-day educational training was available to NCAA coaches of all experience levels. The WCA is designed for women coaches who are ready and willing to increase their individual effectiveness by learning advanced skills and strategies that directly affect their personal and team success. Participants will focus on non-sport specific concepts beyond the X's and O's in an environment that fosters inclusion across the sports community.