James Cash, Southwest Conference
 First African-American to play basketball in the Southwest Conference
 In 1965, became the first African-American to sign a basketball athletic letter-of-intent in the
Southwest Conference at Texas Christian University
James Cash is an Emeritus James E. Robison Professor and Senior Associate Dean of the Harvard Business
School (HBS), where he first joined the faculty in 1976 and retired in 2003. He taught in all the major
HBS programs, and served as chairman of Baker Library, chairman of the MBA program and chairman of
the Harvard Business School Publishing Company at various times during his tenure at the institution.
In 1965, Cash became the first African-American to sign an athletics letter-of-intent (basketball) in the
Southwest Conference at Texas Christian University (TCU). He graduated from TCU with a bachelor’s
degree in mathematics, while being named an Academic All-American in basketball. Later, he received a
master of science in computer science from Purdue’s Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences; and a
doctor of philosophy in management information systems and accounting from Purdue’s Krannert
Graduate School of Management.
Under the umbrella of The Cash Catalyst, LLC, Cash runs personal development programs for executives
in Global 500 organizations: The Executive and Board Symposium, The Cash CIO Forum and The Cash IT
Leadership Development Program. His work and research is focused on the strategic use of information
technology in the service sector. Among his publications are articles in accounting and information
technology journals and several Harvard Business Review articles.
In 2011, his basketball number was honored at TCU and he was selected as a Fellow of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences. Cash currently participates on a number of public, private and not-forprofit boards, including General Electric, Wal-Mart, Chubb, The Boston Celtics, The Smithsonian
Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Foundation.
Rudy Davalos, University of New Mexico
 First Hispanic AD in the Southwest Conference, WAC and MWC
 1st Hispanic to serve on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee and the NCAA Women’s
Basketball Committee
 Named one of the top 101 Most Influential Minorities in sports by Sports Illustrated
Longtime coach and athletics administrator Rudy Davalos led an extraordinary career in athletics, one
that ended in 2006 when he retired as director of athletics at the University of New Mexico (UNM). He
was the first Hispanic athletics director in the Southwest Conference, Western Athletic Conference and
Mountain West Conference, serving as AD at both Houston and Texas San Antonio (UTSA), as well.
Davalos initiated the UTSA department into NCAA Division I and was the first Hispanic to serve on the
NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee.
Prior to his athletics director stints, Davalos enjoyed a successful coaching career. After three assistant
coaching stops, he was named the head men’s basketball coach at the University of the South, where he
led the Tigers to its best single-season record in program history with a 23-4 mark in 1972-73. He would
move on to become an assistant coach for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs until he moved on to become
the AD at UTSA.
At UNM, Davalos led the Lobo athletics department to many significant accomplishments during his 14year tenure. UNM teams made NCAA postseason play 112 times, won or shared 35 regular season or
postseason conference championships, and the ski team won the 2004 NCAA Championship, becoming
the first Lobo program to win a national title. Thanks to efforts from Davalos, UNM’s fundraising
organization, the Lobo Club, produced $6 million annually, which was a factor in Davalos increasing the
department’s budget from $9.4 million to $22 million, while never finishing a fiscal year over budget
during his tenure. Sports Illustrated named Davalos as one of the top 101 minorities in sports.
Dr. Evie Dennis, USOC
 First African-American female to serve as VP for the USOC (1981-88) and the first to be the
second vice-president of AAU
 First African-American female to be Chef de Mission for the USOC for two Pan American Games
and the 1988 Olympic Team
Dr. Evie Dennis has distinguished herself through a lifetime of achievement, including her dedication as
a visionary leader and pioneering advocate for political and legislative change to advance and enhance
opportunities for all individuals, especially women, disadvantaged, underserved and minority
populations—specifically in the areas of education, Olympic sports and amateur athletics.
Dennis has been the recipient of numerous national and local awards and honors for excellence in
education, humanitarian and athletics achievement, including the International Olympic Committee’s
prestigious Olympic Order—one of only 26 in the United States at the time, who had received this award
since its inception. Dennis was also the first African-American female to be Chef de Mission for the
United States Olympic Committee (USOC) for two Pan American Games and the 1988 Olympics. She was
also the first African-American female to serve as vice president for the USOC, doing so from 1981-88
and was also the first African-American female to serve as second vice president for the Amateur
Athletic Union (AAU).
Dennis also spent time as a research associate for the Children’s Asthma Research Institute, and
eventually transitioned into the education sector, serving in many capacities with Denver Public Schools,
culminating her career as the superintendent. Her layered life of athletics and education worked in
concert throughout the 1980s; serving as deputy superintendent of Denver Public schools, while
simultaneously serving as president of The Athletics Congress (the predecessor to USATF).
Dennis has been involved with the USOC throughout her career, serving as a member of the executive
committee from 1976-92 and was the chair of the committees for Women and Diversity and currently
sits on the Governing Bodies Council. In addition, Dennis is currently a member of the National Board for
the Shaka Franklin Foundation and is a 32-year member of the Advisory Board for Sportswomen of
Colorado. She is a member of the USA Track and Field Federation, the Colorado Association – USA Track
and Field Federation and the Rocky Mountain Association – AAU.
Herman Frazier, USOC

First African-American to win a Gold Medal and return as the Chef De Mission of the U.S.
Delegation at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece
Veteran athletics administrator Herman Frazier was hired as the deputy athletics director/chief of staff
for Syracuse University athletics in 2011 and oversees the daily operation of all facets of Syracuse
athletics. Frazier has more than 34 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics, including eight years
as an athletics director. From 1980 through 2004, Frazier served on various Olympic committees,
including two stints as the U.S. Olympic Committee vice president. Additionally, he was the first AfricanAmerican to have won a gold medal and then return as the Chef De Mission in charge of the United
States Delegation at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Prior to Frazier’s time at Syracuse, Frazier was the senior associate athletics director for sports
administration at Temple University. Before joining the Owls’ staff, the Philadelphia native served six
years as the director of athletics at Hawaii and was also the director of athletics at UAB.
As the second director of athletics in the history of the UAB program, Frazier started a $30 million facility
improvement plan and was responsible for instituting new management concepts and master plan for
the program.
Frazier began his athletics administration career immediately upon graduation from Arizona State
University (ASU), joining the Sun Devil staff as a graduate assistant for the track & field program in 1977.
In 1979, he was appointed assistant director of events and facilities. During his 23-year tenure at ASU,
Frazier moved up the ranks to his final position as senior associate athletics director for business
operations. An eight-time All-American track performer at ASU, Frazier was the leadoff runner for the
1976 Olympic Gold Medal-winning 4x400 relay, which led him to his work with the USOC.
As Chef De Mission in 2004 for the Athens Olympics, he presided over the most successful U.S. Olympic
team in history, capturing 103 medals.
Dennie Hoggard and Wallace Triplett, Cotton Bowl (Penn State)
 First African-Americans to play in the Cotton Bowl as juniors in 1948 for Penn State
Penn State juniors Dennie Hoggard and Wallace Triplett made Cotton Bowl history in 1948 when they
became the first African-American juniors to play in the game. The Nittany Lions played Southern
Methodist to a 13-13 tie. The game also marked the first interracial game played at the Cotton Bowl
Stadium.
Hoggard was at the forefront of the civil rights movement, along with Triplett, as both players became
the first African-Americans to take the field in varsity football games at Penn State in 1945. At Penn
State, Hoggard was selected the first black member of the Lion’s Paw honorary society, recognizing
service to the college and extracurricular activities. He was also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha
fraternity.
Triplett was the first African-American starter for the Penn State football team in 1945, along with
becoming the first to earn a varsity letter and first black Penn Stater to be drafted by the NFL in 1949.
Triplett earned his physical education degree and went on to play two years for the Detroit Lions, setting
an NFL record with 294 return yards in a single game. The record stood for 44 years.
Triplett left the NFL after the 1950 season for a year of military service in the Korean War and played
one season for the Chicago Cardinals when he returned.
John Thompson Jr., Georgetown
 First African-American President of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (1985-86)
 First African-American Division I Basketball Coach of the Year (USBWA-1982) (NABS-1985) (UPI1986-87)
 First African-American Basketball Coach in the Big East Conference (1979-80)
 First African-American Big East Coach of the Year (1980)
Basketball Hall of Famer John Thompson's name is synonymous with success, as is the program he built
at Georgetown University. Thompson established a program that had 24 consecutive postseason
appearances, an overall record of 596-239 under his leadership and a 97 percent graduation rate; a
program which continues its success today. His teams won a National Championship (1984), appeared in
three Final Fours (1982, 1984, and 1985) and played in 20 NCAA Tournaments, 14 appearances being
consecutive.
Thompson was the first African-American basketball coach in the Big East Conference (1979-80) and the
first African-American Big East Coach of the Year (1980, 1987, and 1992). Thompson was also the First
African-American Division I Basketball Coach of the Year, which he was named a total of seven times
throughout his career. He was also the 1988 Olympic Head Coach in Men's Basketball for the USA,
where his team captured a bronze medal in Seoul.
A major figure in and out of the coaching profession, Thompson is a past president of the National
Association of Basketball Coaches, serving as the first African-American president of the organization
and has served on their board of directors. He is a trustee of the Basketball Hall of Fame and has been a
consultant and spokesman for Nike, where he is a member of its board of directors.
Thompson graduated from Providence College, where he was a standout on the basketball team, being
named “New England Player of the Year” and leading the Friars to the NIT Championship in 1963. He
also holds a degree in guidance and counseling from the University of the District of Columbia and has
received honorary degrees from Georgetown, St. Peter's College, Wheeling College and most recently
from the University of the District of Columbia. Thompson holds the titles of Coach Emeritus and
Presidential Consultant for Urban Affairs at Georgetown and has received the two highest awards which
Georgetown University can confer: the President's Award and the Patrick Healy Award.
Linwood Sexton, Missouri Valley Conference
 First African-American to be named to the Missouri Valley All-Conference team three times
(1945-46-47)

First African-American to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in education from the Missouri
Valley Conference (1948)
Linwood Sexton set statistical records and broke racial barriers while starring on the football field for the
University of Wichita in the 1940s, competing as one of the first African-American football players for
the Shockers and in the Missouri Valley Conference.
While competing in a segregated United States, Sexton endured not being allowed to compete in certain
road games due to his race and staying in separate travel accommodations but overcame such
challenges to become the school's career leader in rushing and total offense, and a three-time AllMissouri Valley Conference (MVC) selection.
The Wichita native is one of two Wichita State football players to have their jersey retired. Sexton was
inducted into the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame in 1980, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and most
recently he was inducted into the MVC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
While at Wichita, Sexton’s average yards per play ranked third nationally in both rushing and total
offense during his senior season in 1947, despite not being able to play a handful of games, such as at
Tulsa and West Texas State, because of his race. He racked up 1,995 rushing yards in his career and
2,788 yards of total offense.
Sexton graduated in 1948 with a bachelor's degree in education and taught sixth grade for four years at
a Wichita elementary school. He remains passionate about the benefits of education.
Sexton has served on numerous boards, including the Kansas Board of Regents and the Wichita State
University Board of Trustees. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Wesley Medical Center,
the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors and is a member of the WSU Foundation's National
Advisory Committee.
Alfred White, Southern Conference

First African-American to be Commissioner of the Southern Conference and of a NCAA Division I
Conference that was not a HBCU (1998)
Alfred White joined the Conference USA staff in July 2004 as an associate commissioner and has more
than 20 years of experience in intercollegiate and professional athletics administration, holding
positions as the Commissioner of the Southern Conference (1998-2001) and as president of the NBA
Development League’s Asheville Altitude (2001-04). He also served 15 years on staff at the NCAA in the
areas of communications, promotions and corporate marketing. He was named the NCAA Director of
Corporate Marketing in 1997.White was the first African-American to serve as commissioner of the
Southern Conference and of a NCAA Division I Conference that was not a HBCU.
White has developed and managed key professional contacts and relationships for the NBA, NCAA and
the Southern Conference, including major radio and television networks, radio and television
syndicators, publishers, major publications and newspapers. In his role as president of the Altitude, he
implemented the strategic start-up of the franchise in the eight-team league that began in November
2001.
During his tenure as the Southern Conference Commissioner, he implemented a strategic marketing
plan to create opportunities for greater exposure, while growing the conference's corporate partner
program. He was instrumental in helping the Southern Conference secure the host role for a 2002 NCAA
Men's Basketball Championship First and Second rounds site in Greenville, S.C.
A 1979 graduate of Texas Tech University and native of Houston, Texas, White began his career as an
assistant SID at his alma mater before joining the NCAA.