Butler's Sharon Clark to receive the Sam Lacy Pioneer Award

Aug. 18, 2006

Butler head volleyball coach Sharon Clark has been named as a recipient of the Sam Lacy Pioneer Award by the Sports Task Force of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). The award will be presented to Clark at the Indiana Convention Center on Friday (August 18) at 5:30 p.m.

Clark will be presented with the award for her success as one of the few black major-college volleyball coaches and the leadership she has shown in American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and NCAA activities.

"We are very excited for Sharon and proud that the NABJ has recognized her efforts," Butler Athletic Director Barry Collier said. "Butler is extremely pleased to have her leading our program and feels that she is very deserving of the award."

Clark enters her 14th season as a head coach in 2006 and stands just four wins shy of 200 lifetime wins and six wins short of 100 as head coach at Butler. She serves as the Horizon League representative for the AVCA Head Coaches Committee and is a co-chair of the AVCA Minority Coaches Clinic. She also serves on the Butler University Human Resources and Organizational Development committee and sits on several national advisory boards.

The Pioneer Awards, which pay tribute to black groundbreakers in the sports world, are the most prestigious honors bestowed by the NABJ Sports Task Force, which is comprised of black print and broadcast sports journalists nationwide. Other recipients of the awards in Indianapolis will include Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, former Indiana Pacers stars Mel Daniels and George McGinnis and sportscaster Jerry Harkness.

The NABJ, which includes nearly 4,000 members, will hold their annual convention in Indianapolis from Aug. 16-20.

The Butler volleyball team opens up the 2006 season at Marian on Friday, August 25 beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Story provided by Butler office of Sports Information.