By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University women's soccer Head Coach Hillary Arthur has been chosen as the winner of the 2020 Inaugural NCAA Division III LGBTQ Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award. The honor is part of the NCAA Division III LGBTQ One Team Awards program. Arthur was selected from the 10 finalists who were announced back in September after all nominations were received.
The Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award pays tribute to the service, leadership, and promotion of LGBTQ inclusion by an LGBTQ athletics administrator, coach, or staff member. Arthur will be honored at the virtual NCAA Convention in January of 2021.
"I am humbled, honored, and grateful to be the recipient of the inaugural 2020 NCAA LGBTQ Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award," Arthur said. "Thank you to all the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who are also dedicated to creating inclusive spaces, team cultures, and work environments. This award means so much for our LGBTQ efforts in service, leadership and inclusion. This award acknowledges the work of those who came before and paved the way, and there is still so much work that needs to be done. In every effort, I strive to create a team culture of trust, support and inclusion, where each of us feels safe to be our authentic self and to speak our truths.
"Thank you to my student-athletes for their support in building our team culture and their passion for caring for each other (#ICEU)," Arthur added. "Thank you to Willamette Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Rob Passage and Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator Leslie Shevlin for their vision and actions in creating a supportive and inclusive Athletics Department here at Willamette University. A special thank you to my wife, Courtney Gray, and our two wonderful children, Clave and Emmie, your love and support continue to inspire me every day to be better and do better."
"I am so happy that the NCAA has decided to recognize Coach Arthur with this national honor. It is well-deserved and I am so proud of her," Shevlin said. "We continue to be grateful to have her as a part of our team of outstanding coaches who are making a difference in the lives of our student-athletes. We are lucky to have her working to create space where the voices of our LGBTQ+ student-athletes and coaches can be heard now and in the future."
Arthur is in her 13th year as the head women's soccer coach at Willamette. Over the past 12 seasons, she has led the team 107 victories and her teams have achieved third place finishes in the Northwest Conference five times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019).
"Serving on the Trans* Advocacy Committee here at Willamette has provided me the opportunity to meet and work with remarkable and inspiring students, staff, and faculty, of which I'm very grateful," Arthur said. "In the spring of 2019, I attended the NCAA Inclusion Forum in Atlanta, Georgia, which really helped to galvanize and springboard the direction I wanted to take my team for the fall 2019 season.
"Every year we have a new motto. In the fall of 2019, our motto and hashtag was #ICEU (I SEE U) ... I = Inclusion, C = Community, E = Excellence, U = United," Arthur continued. "Our motto was all about inclusion, and really seeing each other and embracing and supporting one another as individuals, students, athletes, and teammates. Also in the fall of 2019, we dedicated one of our home games to the United Soccer Coaches' initiative 'Play With Pride' where we honored our LGBTQ+ students, student-athletes, staff, and faculty. This year, 2020-21, our team motto is GPS ... G = Grace, P = Patience, S = Support. It's how we are navigating this uncertain time in history with COVID-19: Grace, everyone needs a little Grace as we are all learning how to live in a pandemic; Patience, everyone needs a little patience as we are all doing our best to try to figure this out; Support, everyone will need a lot of support throughout this pandemic.
"I'm also involved with the United Soccer Coaches LGBTQ+ Allies and Advocacy Group, which is committed to helping all members of the United Soccer Coaches learn the importance of inclusion," Arthur added.
The Bearcats earned an 11-7-2 overall record and a 10-4-2 mark in the NWC in 2019-20. Willamette shut out eight opponents on its way to a 0.90 goals against average. The offense scored 27 goals. Willamette finished 2018 with a 12-4-4 overall record while earning 10 shutouts. The Bearcats completed 2017 with a 13-4-3 overall record and were ranked #7 in the West Region of NCAA Division III.
Arthur was named NWC Women's Soccer Coach of the Year in 2011. During that season, Willamette achieved an 11-8-1 record, including 10-5-1 in the NWC.
