Prominent Alumni
The Alumni of the Year Award is given to the most outstanding United States Sports Academy Alumni who represents the ideals of sport and of the Academy. Recipients of the Alumni of the Year Award have included graduates representing all areas of the sport profession such as coaches; athletic directors and administrators; athletes; military leaders; college faculty, administrators and researchers; sports entrepreneurs; media professionals and many others.
United States Sports Academy Alumni of the Year
Monique Carroll is the Academy’s 2023 Alumnus of the Year! Carroll earned her Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy. Carroll is the director of intercollegiate athletics at Chicago State University, where she oversees 15 NCAA Division I sports programs and serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet. She joined the Cougars on September 1, 2022 after serving as the athletic director at Huston-Tillotson University since March 2020.
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Greg Walker, head coach US Men’s Sitting Volleyball National Team and Smith College volleyball |
| 2020 | Dr. Kristene Kelly, Vanderbilt University deputy athletic director for internal affairs and senior woman administrator |
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Byron Cunningham, director of rehabilitation for the Los Angeles Rams |
| 2018 | Scott Novack, Program Operations Manager for the USA Rugby Men’s Eagles Sevens |
| 2017 | Dr. Dave Shrock, USA Track & Field Leader and Academy National Faculty Member |
| 2016 | Ms. LaTanya Sheffield, Assistant Women’s Coach for USA Track and Field, 2016 Rio Olympic Games |
| 2015 | CDR David Peterson, Ed.D., Executive Officer of the Physical Education Department, United States Naval Academy |
| 2014 | Dr. Bonnie Tiell, Distinguished Sports Educator and Researcher |
| 2013 | Greg McDermott, Men’s Head Basketball Coach, Creighton University |
| 2012 | Dr. Mark Janas, Inventor, Business Developer and Managing Partner of In3 Inc |
| 2011 | China Jude, Assistant Vice President of Athletics, Queens College at the City University of New York |
| 2010 | Mike Vollmar, Associate Athletic Director for Football, University of Alabama |
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2009 | James Vilade, Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach, University of Texas at Tyler |
| 2008 | Ron Laird, Commissioner, Wyoming High School Activities Association and President, National Federation of State High School Associations |
| 2007 | Lynn Wheeler, Associate AD, University of Texas |
| 2006 | Linda Moore, Senior Director of Business Administration, ESPN |
| 2005 | Terry Waldrop, Head Basketball Coach, Texas Wesleyan |
| 2004 | Dennis Lindsey |
| 2003 | Scot E. Long |
| 2002 | Mike Leach |
| 2001 | Dr. Fred Cromartie |
| 2000 | Dr. Robert Dean Boyd |
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Marc Riker |
| 1998 | Essa Ahmad Al-Jowder |
| 1997 | Dr. T.J. Rosandich |
| 1996 | “Pat” Tan Eng Yoon |
| 1995 | John Zinda, Jr. |
| 1994 | Michael K. Behymer |
| 1993 | Mark Tommaksen |
| 1992 | S.S. Dhillion |
| 1991 | Tom Lewis |
| 1990 | Ebie Taylor Strauss |
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 1989 | Lieutenant Colonel Lionel Lee, M.D. |
| 1988 | David J. Essel |
Recommend a USSA graduate for Alumnus/Alumna of the Year by emailing alumni@ussa.edu