BALTIMORE, Md. – During the Division III monthly update, the NCAA released their NCAA Division III OneTeam Recognition Awards, and their nominees. Notre Dame of Maryland University is among those nominees.
         In August of 2018, the NCAA LGBTQ working group created an initiative called OneTeam, which promotes the inclusion of all genders, races, and sexualities. The NCAA states, "Initiated by the Division III LGBTQ Working Group, the awards program was unveiled during the LGBTQ and Allies Reception at the 2019 NCAA Convention." Throughout the months of February to June of 2020, nominations were submitted, for all three awards. The nominations have now been released, and the award recipients will be notified in November, and will then be announced publically at the virtual 2021 NCAA Convention.
         There are three awards being given out; Student-Athlete of the Year, Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year, and Athletics Department/Conference of the Year. Among the nominees for Athletics Department/Conference of the Year, is Notre Dame of Maryland University. This award honors an athletic department or conference that has demonstrated proactive efforts to create and sustain an LGBTQ-inclusive culture.
         This honorable nomination comes from the hard work of our student-athletes, coaches, and administrators in the department. NDMU first showed support of the OneTeam Program back in the spring of 2019, when both the softball and lacrosse programs held a OneTeam game. Banners were hung around the fields and gym, many student-athletes wore ribbons, temporary tattoos, hung up decorations and made signs to show their support.
         Helping to bring the OneTeam initiative to campus was then senior Samantha Kastner. Kastner was a member of the NCAA Division III National SAAC, where she was able to learn about the inner workings of the program, and the strong meaning it held. This urged her to bring back the powerful initiative to Notre Dame. Kastner also served on the NCAA Division III Management Council, Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA), and Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS). 
         During the week of September 16^th in 2019, the Notre Dame of Maryland University Department of Athletics celebrated their first OneTeam Week, which was a week dedicated to the Division III OneTeam program.
         Notre Dame's Director of Athletics and Wellness, Renee Bostic, became a OneTeam Program Facilitator, meaning she had been trained to teach OneTeam trainings on campuses across the country. With the theme of our 2019-2020 school year being diversity and inclusion, Bostic facilitated a OneTeam training to all student-athletes, athletic administrators, and coaches, during the OneTeam week. During that week, roughly 120 student-athletes, staff, and coaches received the training. The training helped everyone become more aware and supportive, and learn how to be good allies for the LGBTQ+ community.
         In addition to the OneTeam training, each of Notre Dame's fall and winter sports held OneTeam Games, in celebration and support of the programming. Where they again showed their support with ribbons, signage, and information was passed around about the program.
         Diversity and inclusion remains at the forefront of the athletic departments mission, and we will continue to have OneTeam programming, and OneTeam Games. 
 
 
 
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