CLEVELAND - The National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) is excited to announce the winners of the Brian Scott Crockett Diversity Initiative Stipend Program.
 
The stipend, named for Brian Crockett, will provide up to $2500 per recipient to attend the 2026 NAADD convention which will take place June 7-10 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Crockett served as NAADD's first African American President (1999–2000) and has been a trailblazing leader in athletics development. Over nearly three decades, Crockett achieved transformational fundraising success at Rutgers University, West Point's Association of Graduates, and the VMI Foundation, while championing strategic growth, alumni engagement, and excellence in higher education. A 2023 NAADD Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, he is widely respected for his integrity, vision, and enduring commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. His generous planned gift to support the program ensures that the stipend bearing his name will continue to inspire and empower future generations of athletics development professionals.

"On behalf of the NAADD Executive Committee, I am honored to welcome this year's Diversity Initiative Program cohort," stated Howard Milton, Chief Development Officer at the University of Illinois and chair of the Diversity Initiative Committee. "This group brings an inspiring breadth of perspectives, experiences, and professional aspirations that truly reflect the strength of our industry. We are proud to support their continued growth and look forward to the meaningful contributions they will make as emerging leaders within athletics development."

The 2026 Diversity Initiative recipients are:
 

Evan Altman Butler University Precious Birdsong Vanderbilt University Nate Brown University of Memphis Michaela Buriff Liberty University Hannah Campbell United States Air Force Academy Lauren Casey Fairfield University Marques Cox Columbia University Myles Edringston University of North Texas Ali Fillmore University of North Texas Whisper Fisher Syracuse University Stanley Frazier University of Cincinnati Isaiah Godwin George Washington University Taylor Green Johns Hopkins University Marcus Haskett The Ohio State University Zhaibri Jeffries University of Delaware Dana Jorgensen Washington State University Katie Kennedy Georgetown Karli Kriewall University of Minnesota Courtney Konowal University of Pennsylvania Duvante Lane University of Colorado Mykael Loera-Prado University of Mary Sabrina Lomosad University of North Texas Julia Masias San Diego State University Donald McIver Jr. University of Illinois–Champaign Seiji McSwain Central Michigan University Scarlett Parker The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Sterling Parker Rice University Ruth Phillips Pennsylvania State University Nicole Praga Georgetown University George Ramirez Southern Utah University Jared Del Rosario University of Louisiana at Lafayette Serenity Steward Central Washington University Anna Speller Belmont University Jorja Suriano Central Michigan University JT Tumanuvao University of Utah Kevin Waters Barber Scotia College Shomari Watts University of Pennsylvania Taylor Welter-Kincaid Washington State University Gerald Williams-Taylor Wayne State University

CLICK HERE for more information about #NAADD26 and the 2026 NACDA and Affiliates Convention Week at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For additional information or questions regarding the NAADD Convention stipend, please contact Vice President Cam Trudell (440.788.7676).