May 15, 2023 – WeCOACH will host its premier programs, the 52^nd class of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy (WCA) and the 6^th class of the NCAA Academy 2.0 in Denver, Colorado from May 21-24, 2023. This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Women Coaches Academy, made possible through a longstanding partnership with the NCAA. 

Highlighting these two Academies is keynote speaker, Dawn Staley, Head Women's Basketball Coach at the University of South Carolina. Coach Staley is a two-time national champion coach and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. She's one of the most decorated participants in United States women's basketball history having won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA as a player and later was head coach of another U.S. gold-medal winning team.

As part of the 20^th anniversary celebration, a record-setting 102 women coaches, of all experience levels and sports, will be participating in WCA Class #52. NCAA Academy 2.0, a master learning program, will feature 20 coach participants. The classes include representation from NCAA Divisions I, II and III as well as NAIA, community colleges, the U.S. national team, and internationally.

"The NCAA is excited to partner with WeCOACH on the 2023 NCAA Women Coaches Academy programs, where some of the most talented collegiate women's coaches will have the opportunity to elevate their leadership skills and hear the experiences of championship coaches," said DeeDee Merritt, Director of NCAA Leadership Development. "The Women Coaches Academy and the Academy 2.0 programs provide today's coaches with enhanced strategies and operations they can use during their season that may also translate to better student-athlete experiences. We look forward to engaging with the coaches as they work toward their professional and personal development."

Over 2,100 graduates have participated in the NCAA WCA, a program designed for women coaches to elevate their holistic coaching effectiveness by learning advanced leadership skills and strategies that directly affect their personal and team success. Participants focus on non-sport-specific concepts in an environment that fosters inclusion across the sports community. The NCAA Academy 2.0, exclusively created for WCA graduates, is a master-learning opportunity in a small class setting that progresses on the leadership, strategies, and knowledge gained from their WCA experience.

WeCOACH septupled (multiplied by seven times) Academy scholarships funding provided to this year's participants thanks to generous funding from Hudl, Endeavor, Natasha Watley Foundation, along with numerous individual donors. In addition, the United States Marine Corps have partnered to sponsor this year's Academy graduation ceremonies and will feature a Marine representative offering closing remarks to both classes. 

"The Academy experience is truly magical in terms of the powerful knowledge gained and lasting relationships formed. Our graduates leave feeling empowered, inspired and motivated to be the best possible leaders for the student-athletes they coach, and the data demonstrates our Academy graduates remain in the coaching profession at a higher rate than the national average. Our staff and Board have once again assembled a stellar lineup of faculty to pour into the participants and we look forward to unveiling some new traditions as part of our WCA 20^th anniversary celebration," said Vanessa Fuchs, CEO of WeCOACH.

WeCOACH thanks the NCAA for its longstanding support of these transformational programs along with this year's partners: Marines, Hudl, Endeavor, Truist, Gatorade Performance Partner, Athlete Assessments, The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, Human Kinetics, Natasha Watley Foundation, and The Sports Bra Project.