NCAA Announces 45 Finalists for Gold Award.
MANSFIELD, Mass. - Southern Connecticut's James Barber and Bentley's Barbara Stevens have earned the distinct honor of representing the Northeast-10 Conference as two of 45 finalists for the NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Gold Award, as announced by the division on Monday afternoon.
The 50th Anniversary Gold Award, which is part of the division's yearlong 50th anniversary celebration that launched on August 7 and will extend through the 2024 Division II Baseball Championship in June, will recognize two individuals who have made a lasting and positive impact in Division II.
Conference offices reviewed the initial pool of 231 nominated individuals and each selected two honorees. The NCAA Division II Management Council Identity Subcommittee will review these finalists and select the two overall winners, who will be recognized at the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix, Ariz.
Barber and Stevens were selected from a competitive group of 22 nominees from NE10 institutions - the second-most nominations among all Division II conferences. They combined to give over 90 years of dedicated service to their respective institutions during their Hall of Fame careers. For more information on Barber and Stevens, please read below:
James Barber
James Barber gave 58 years of dedicated service to Southern Connecticut State and crafted a legacy of change, using his career to advance inclusivity and access at the institution. A record-setting hurdler as a student-athlete in the early 1960s, and captain and Most Valuable Player of the football team, Barber went on to become a successful Owls coach for almost 25 years, training numerous track champions and 75 All-Americans. In 1971, Barber launched the Southern Educational Opportunity Program, which over time opened the door to a college degree for scores of minority students. He also led the university's affirmative action office, served as director of student supportive services for more than 20 years and, in his last professional role at the school, helped to advance the university's mission as director of community engagement. A committed community activist, he founded New Haven's track and field outreach program for young people, working with more than 4,000 youths over the years. Additionally, he has served as president and a longtime board member of the New Haven Scholarship Fund. On the international athletic scene, he was head coach of the U.S. team for the International Association of Athletics Federation World Cup Meet and the U.S. team at the World Indoor Championships, as well as U.S. Olympic Festivals. He helped found the United States Track Coaches Association and was named Indoor Regional Coach of the Year in 2002. He received the 2000 Service Award for Colleges and Universities from the U.S. Women's Track Coaches Association and was inducted into Southern Connecticut's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2016, Barber was recognized by the SCSU Alumni Association with its Distinguished Alumnus Award and received the President's Medal of Distinction six years later.
Barbara Stevens
Barbara Stevens, the Bentley women's basketball head coach from 1986-2020 and a 2020 inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, is the fourth-winningest coach in NCAA history. Stevens retired from a 44-year coaching career with a 1,058-291 record, including 901-200 during her 34 Bentley seasons, 31 NCAA Division II tournament appearances, 14 Elite Eights and 38 Northeast-10 championships (21 regular season, 17 tournament). In March 2014, Stevens led her team to the national championship. The Falcons capped a magnificent 35-0 season with a remarkable comeback against West Texas A&M. Stevens was recognized as the Russell/Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II National Coach of the Year an unprecedented five times and earned the Northeast-10 Coach of the Year award 16 times. While she has 1,058 career victories, no other coach in Division II women's basketball history has as many as 850. Stevens has made her mark away from the court, as well. She is the only Division II coach to ever serve as president of the WBCA, a position she held during 1994-95. In 2022, Stevens received the Dream Big! Inspirational Leader Award. In addition to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Stevens has been inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, as well as the Northeast-10, Bentley, Clark and Bridgewater State halls. In 2002, Stevens was presented with the prestigious Carol Eckman Award from the WBCA. In 2022, Stevens was awarded an honorary doctorate in public education by her alma mater and spoke at the Bridgewater State commencement.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
