CLEVELAND - The Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) is proud to announce the release of its new logo, effective immediately.

In the fall, the MOAA Board sought input from the membership to select a new logo that better reflected the mission statement of the Association which is to provide opportunities to exchange ideas, advocate increased participation and administrative opportunities for minorities in athletics. The MOAA also promotes generating a sports culture that supports the values necessary to teach and learn respect for self and others.

Since 2006, when MOAA partnered with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Association has undergone a multitude of changes, including increasing membership from 100-plus to over 750-plus members today.

"Overall, our organization has evolved greatly since the current MOAA logo was adopted in 2006. It is time for us to move forward as an organization with a logo more representative of our mission statement and the industry as a whole," stated MOAA President China Jude, senior associate athletics director/SWA, University of Wyoming. "The Board would like to thank the members who took the time to help us select what our future branding looks like."

The new brand reflects the multicultural makeup of the MOAA membership and symbolizes the group's efforts to champion equality and inclusivity throughout intercollegiate athletics and higher education.

The updated logo has also stayed consistent with the red and black colors, known for associating with strength, courage and seriousness.

The logo was designed by SME, a Learfield IMG College company, a creative services agency with offices in New York, Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Indianapolis.

To review MOAA's mission and guiding principles, click HERE.

About MOAA: MOAA promotes equitable employment opportunities for minorities in the athletics industry through the exchange of ideas, the creation of networking opportunities and the avocation of an increase in employment for minorities in athletics administration positions at all levels of the sports industry. The Association also promotes cultivating a sports environment that supports the values necessary to accept aspiring professionals from all walks of life. For more information on MOAA, please visit www.moaaweb.com. MOAA is partnered with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 55^th year. For more information on NACDA and the 17 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.