LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its inaugural class of L.P. Hill Unity in Sports Award honorees for the 2025-26 season. The award recognizes the contributions of an individual or group on each member campus that, through intercollegiate athletics, epitomizes the promise of Unity, Equity, and Access For All.
 
The award is named after Leslie Pinckney Hill, the first President of Cheyney State Teacher’s College. From 1913 to 1950, he was the Principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia and oversaw its establishment as Cheyney State Teachers College.  The Phi Beta Kappa, Harvard-educated son of a former slave taught at Tuskegee Institute and was a renowned educator, writer, poet, and community leader. 
 
In 1927, a year after the first documents that created the Pennsylvania State Normal School Athletic Association, Mr. Hill argued for the inclusion of Cheyney in the Associations bylaws which had been left out in the initial drafting.  The Board of Principals immediately rectified this error, and all 14 state-owned institutions were then included in the Association’s initial governing documents.
 
Find a complete list of the 2025-26 L.P. Hill Unity in Sports Award recipients below.
 
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Madelyn Rodriguez, Executive Director, Multicultural Center
Bloomsburg
Provides support for underrepresented student-athletes and programming to engage with issues of equity and belonging.
 
Pete Ware, Campus Ministry
California
Creates environment of access for all campus students, including events around athletics events to help build community on campus.
 
Brehan Kelly, Head Men’s/Women’s Swimming Coach
Clarion
Creates an environment within the team to celebrate and support each member and their accomplishments as well as support across breadth of athletic department in creating a community for Golden Eagle Athletes.
 
Dr. Shawn Munford, Faculty Athletics Representative
East Stroudsburg
Original member of the PSAC Social Justice Alliance and leader in Conference-wide conversations focused on building inclusive and belonging communities.
 
Fighting Scots Football Team, 12^th Teammate Program
Edinboro
Identifies and supports a seriously ill or disabled individual as the "12th Member” of the Team so they experience and feel included as team member.
 
Dr. Jinhee Yoo, Professor, Sport Management and Marketing
Gannon
Goes above and beyond her role to provide support, mentorship, and a safe welcoming space for underrepresented students.

Scott & Liz Weigner, Campus Ministry
IUP
Building inter-faith community through collaborative relationships among student-athletes and campus community.
 
Christine Price, Director, Women’s Center
Kutztown
Partnered with Athletic Department to provide education focus on health relationships and organized the "It's On Us" Athletic Playbook.
 
Kenny Hall, Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee
Lock Haven
A servant leader on campus helping identify and assist student-athletes in need of financial, emotional, and mentoring support.
 
Molly McLeer, Sprint Football Student-Athlete
Mansfield
First female Sprint Football student-athlete at Mansfield, creating a milestone in equity for athletics programming.
 
Center for Health Education and Promotion
Millersville
Coordinates intentional learning opportunities within the campus community to improve students’ decision making, behaviors, and wellness.

Sherri Rae, Director of Campus and Community Engagement
Pitt-Johnstown
A "Connector" across the entire UPJ campus and Johnstown Community supporting the needs of students by providing resources and environments to promote belonging and unity.
 
Jasmine Browner, Coordinator, Student Services
Seton Hill
Supports international and multi-cultural students, strengthening belonging for mentoring relationships and meaningful dialogue among teams.
 
Annie Lewin, Title IX Director
Shepherd
Spearheaded Restorative Justice Week that provides meaningful dialogue across the Campus Community and critical training and education to create a culture of mutual respect.
 
Miranda Fisher, Assistant Director of Sports Medicine
Shippensburg
Staff advisor of ONESHIP, guiding student-athletes in building an anti-biased and anti-racist athletic community on campus.
 
Ryenn Micaletti, Head Women’s Basketball Coach
Slippery Rock
Model of excellence broadening the definition of "team" by creating space for every voice.

Dr. Tammy James, Professor, Department of Health
West Chester
Coordinator of the campus COMPASS program, designed to support and retain African American Males at WCU.