CLEVELANDÂ - The Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) is pleased to announce Kat Lin (NCAA), Christopher Hughes (University of Kansas) and Solomon Siskind (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) as the 2026 recipients of the Rudy Keeling Scholarship.
Each recipient will receive a $2,500 postgraduate scholarship to support pursuit of an advanced degree, furthering their aspirations in intercollegiate athletics administration. The scholarship is made possible through the generous support of Bob McCloskey Insurance and the NCAA.
Named in honor of former Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Commissioner Rudy Keeling—the first African American to lead a major collegiate athletics conference—the scholarship recognizes emerging leaders who demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing opportunity, inclusion, and leadership within the athletics industry. Recipients are selected by MOAA leadership in collaboration with members of the Keeling family.
_3285954.png)
Kat Lin
Lin serves as an NCAA Postgraduate Intern in the Office of Inclusion, where she supports initiatives designed to enhance the student-athlete experience across all divisions. A former student-athlete at Pomona-Pitzer, she brings a deep personal perspective to her work, shaped by her experiences navigating identity within collegiate athletics.
Lin earned this recognition for her leadership in fostering inclusive environments and her commitment to supporting student-athletes from underrepresented communities. Through her work on national programming and dialogue initiatives, she has demonstrated exceptional ability to build understanding across diverse perspectives and contribute to more inclusive campus cultures.
She will pursue a Master of Arts in Education at the University of California, Berkeley, with a focus on Cultural Studies of Sport in Education, where she plans to explore the intersection of race, gender, and sport participation.
Christopher Hughes
Hughes is the Assistant Director for Organizational Engagement at the University of Kansas, where he plays a key role in fostering departmental culture, staff engagement, and student-athlete support initiatives. A former Kansas football student-athlete and first-generation college graduate, Hughes has remained committed to creating meaningful opportunities within athletics.
Hughes was selected for the scholarship in recognition of his leadership, resilience, and dedication to expanding pathways for others in athletics administration. His journey from student-athlete to administrator, combined with his impact in organizational engagement and inclusive excellence initiatives, exemplifies the values of the Rudy Keeling Scholarship.
He will pursue a Master of Business Administration at the University of Kansas, aiming to strengthen his leadership and strategic decision-making in a rapidly evolving collegiate athletics landscape.
Â
Solomon Siskind
Siskind currently serves as Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he leads programming focused on leadership, identity development, and career readiness for student-athletes. A former football student-athlete and first-generation college graduate, Siskind has built a career centered on using sport as a platform for belonging and social impact.
Siskind was selected for the Rudy Keeling Scholarship for his demonstrated ability to integrate research and practice to enhance student-athlete experience. His work at both the institutional and national level, including contributions to NCAA inclusion initiatives and his research on belonging among Black student-athletes, reflects a deep commitment to advancing equity in athletics.
He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois, where he aims to continue bridging scholarships and applied practice to drive meaningful change across intercollegiate athletics.
About the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association:
Administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association promotes equitable employment opportunities for minorities in the athletics industry through the exchange of ideas, networking opportunities, and advocacy for increased representation in athletics administration at all levels. The association is committed to cultivating an environment that supports and advances aspiring professionals from all backgrounds. For more information, please visit www.moaaweb.com.
