Karen & Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey continues to make a sizable impact both on and off the court. On Thursday, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced the third-year head coach as the female Notre Dame recipient of the 2022 ACC UNITE Award, which was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the racial and social justice areas.
The UNITE Award is presented annually to individuals who:
- Best exemplify ACC CORE’s mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy
- Have helped create meaningful, lasting change by improving systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes
- Have been a pioneer and/or helped pave the way for minorities either at the institution or in the community
Two honorees from each ACC institution are chosen annually based on the above criteria. The male recipient of the award from Notre Dame is senior men’s swimmer Cason Wilburn.
“We are proud to honor the ACC UNITE Award winners who have made significant contributions in the areas of racial and social justice,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., said. “These 30 individuals are true pioneers who inspire us with their contributions to a more diverse and equal society. As a conference we will remain steadfast in our pursuit of racial and social justice, while assisting our student-athletes and institutions with programs that can affect change.”
Ivey, a 2001 Notre Dame graduate and the first Black female head coach in the history of the school, has been instrumental in the racial and social justice arenas during her multiple decades in South Bend.
“Being the face of Notre Dame and representing African American females, there’s so many pressures you can try to take on, but I never wanted to take it on as a pressure,” Ivey says. “I felt like it was a blessing.”
Ivey has hosted several golf outings in the area to raise awareness and funds for programs that assist underserved women and youth throughout the community. Under Ivey’s leadership, the women’s basketball team led “Race for Change,” an October 2020 walk on Notre Dame’s campus designed to raise awareness for and begin conversations about injustices.
She continues to promote participation in youth programs across the South Bend area to bolster the experiences of underrepresented individuals in higher education and beyond.
Additional information about the UNITE Award and the other recipients can be found here.