KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Women Leaders in College Sports announced today that Palm Beach Atlantic Director of Athletics Courtney Lovely Evans has been named the Division II Nike Executive of the Year.
 
"I want to thank Women Leaders in College Sports and my colleagues for honoring the Kingdom work that is being done here at PBA," Lovely Evans said. "I am humbled to be recognized as the Women Leaders in College Sports NCAA DII Nike Executive of the Year, especially with this very prestigious group of female leaders."
 
The announcement was made via the Women Leaders in College Sports social media campaign, and Lovely Evans will be recognized during the Nike Celebration of Women session during WOMEN LEADERS X, the organization's second virtual convention, October 10-11. The award winners were nominated by their peers and selected by the Women Leaders Awards Committee.
 
"It is an honor to recognize and celebrate this group of exemplary women, including emerging leaders, seasoned executives, and industry front runners," says Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in College Sports. "These women represent exceptional leadership and are highly deserving of their awards."
 
Lovely Evans was named the Director of Athletics at PBA on April 19, 2019. She is the first minority female to serve in the role and is the third athletic director during PBA's NCAA era. 
 
During her tenure, PBA has seen a rise in student-athletes named to the SSC honor roll, including a department record of 178 honorees and the highest department GPA in at least six years (3.25), during the unprecedented 2019-20 academic year. In addition, PBA has nearly doubled the amount of Division II Athletic Director's Association academic achievement awards, including another department record, 78 in 2020-21.
 
Lovely Evans has also made an impact on the local West Palm Beach community by serving on the board at the YMCA of the Palm Beaches which is committed to promoting youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. She is actively involved within the NCAA Governance structure and currently serves on the Division II Management Council as the Sunshine State Conference representative. She is a member of the College Women Sports Awards Board of Directors, an active member of Women Leaders in College Sports, and a graduate of the NCAA and Division II Athletic Directors Association Women and Minorities Mentoring Program, Women Leaders in College Sports/NCAA Institute for Administrative Advancement, and NCAA Leadership Institute.
 
Lovely Evans earned a master's degree in sports administration from Georgia State University and a bachelor's degree in Public Relations from Valdosta State University in Georgia.  In 2019, she was named the Valdosta State University College of Arts Distinguished Alumna.  
 
Founded in 1979, Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) is the only nationally recognized collegiate professional membership organization whose mission is to develop, connect and advance women leaders working in intercollegiate athletics. More than 3,800 members strong, Women Leaders promotes the growth, leadership, and success of women as athletics administrators, conference commissioners, professional staff, coaches, and student-athletes. Read about the recent advancement landscape for women athletic directors in CEO Patti Phillips' May 2021 USA Today op-ed, and follow Women Leaders on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @WomenLeadersCS.