Cincinnati will be the site of the annual NAIA Convention, which gets underway Thursday and continues through Monday.
NAIA Convention Opens Thursday in Cincinnati
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 69th Annual NAIA National Convention kicks off on Thursday, April 8, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hotel, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The annual event serves as the nearly 300 member college sports organization’s most important gathering. The five-day event is an opportunity for NAIA members, councils and committees to discuss new legislation, honor award recipients and plan for the future.
On Thursday, April 8, Dr. Rob Haworth, Vice President for Champions of Character, will lead a series of workshops including character training 101 and 102. Later that afternoon, there will be a Champions of Character kick-off event to celebrate the Association’s flagship initiative.
On Saturday, April 10, Bruce Brown will deliver a keynote address at the NAIA Luncheon sponsored by OAI. Brown, director of Proactive Coaching and previous NAIA Champions of Character presenter, works with athletes, coaches and parents on character and competence in the culture of sport. He is a nationally recognized figure for character education and a huge advocate for character-driven intercollegiate athletics.
NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr will give the State of the Association Address on Saturday afternoon beginning at 4:30 p.m. During his tenure as NAIA President, Carr has provided tremendous leadership to advance the Association’s strategic plan. The State of Association Address will be followed by an evening reception at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, hosted by the American Mideast Conference and the Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau.
On Sunday, April 11, all convention attendees will gather for a special celebration of athletic administrators, coaches and student-athletes. During the NAIA Awards Banquet, sponsored by Mutual of Omaha, the NAIA will formally recognize recipients of the following awards: Athletics Director of the Year; Charles Morris Award; Wally Schwartz Award; Dr. Leroy Walker Award; and NAIA Hall of Fame honorees. Prior to the Awards Banquet members of the NAIA Hall of Fame and the Alumni Association will gather for a reception.
At the banquet and reception, there will be a special appearance by Milligan (Tenn.) College alum, Del Harris. A native of Plainfield, Ind., Harris is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame inducted in 1996. In 1992, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame for his lifetime achievements and contributions to basketball. His college coaching career has landed him at places like Earlham College (Ind.). While at Earlham, he led the program to a school-record 176 victories and the first three conference championships in school history during his nine-year stint. He began his NBA coaching career with the Houston Rockets as an assistant in 1976. His last position was the top assistant for the New Jersey Nets, a spot he retired from in February.
Harris recently stepped down from coaching after more than 50 years within the high school, college, ABA, NBA and international coaching ranks.
The NAIA Annual Business Meeting will take place on Monday, April 12, in the afternoon and serve as the final agenda item at convention. Convention attendees will gather and vote on key amendments and legislation.
To learn more about the NAIA Convention, click here.