KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Metropolitan State University of Denver President Dr. Stephen Jordan won the Dr. Claire Van Ummersen Presidential Leadership Award on Tuesday from the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA). The award is given to a university president, chancellor, vice president or provost who has demonstrated leadership and promotion of women’s opportunities in athletics administration or coaching.
Jordan is a strong advocate for women pursuing careers in athletic administration. He has cultivated a staff that highlights diversity in all forms and is a recognized leader in the Denver community. Jordan served as chair of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II Presidents Council, in which he aimed to expand opportunities for female athletic participation. He has continued to be an advocate for creating equal opportunities in professional development and advancement within the university and athletic program. Jordan is a leader not only in athletics but has also committed himself to the betterment of students and the community through various service endeavors.
He has continually pushed for equality among men’s and women’s sports at MSU Denver and compliance with Title IX. In 2013, he added the sport of women’s golf to provide more opportunities for female student-athletes to compete at the collegiate level. Women’s sports have excelled under Jordan’s leadership with the women’s soccer team winning its second national championship in 2006. The softball team won a regional championship and reached the national semifinals in 2010, while the women’s basketball team won a regional title in 2011.
