LANCASTER, Pa. -- The Centennial Conference has been named the 2022 Division III LGBTQ Conference of the Year by the Division III LGBTQ Working Group. The conference was publicly recognized on Friday in conjunction with the 2023 NCAA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
The NCAA Division III Athletics Department/Conference of the Year Award recognizes and honors a Division III athletics department or conference office that has demonstrated proactive efforts to create and sustain an LGBTQ-inclusive culture.
The Centennial is the first conference office to receive the Division III LGBTQ honor. “Being awarded the LGBTQ Conference of the Year Award is a tremendous recognition of the hard work and dedication of our entire membership,” said Portia Hoeg, executive director of the conference. 
The Centennial membership has committed to numerous actions including enhanced education, policy development, Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee participation, and engagement with Athlete Ally, a nonprofit LGBTQ athletic advocacy group. The Student-Athlete Inclusion Policy is one of the latest steps in the conference's commitment to creating, sustaining, and supporting a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This policy includes inclusive practices within the conference, resources, DEI contacts for each of the 11 member institutions, and the most up-to-date information on ensuring full participation for trans and nonbinary student-athletes. Check out the full policy: Student-Athlete Inclusion Policy
“We continue to strive for inclusive excellence in all that we do and value every member of our LGBTQ+ community, as well as their allies,” noted Hoeg. The membership administrators have not only worked to make sure that students, coaches, and support staff have resources and LGBTQ inclusion training, but they also continue to provide the necessary resources and inclusive spaces for student-athletes.
The Centennial Conference was one of four Division III institutions to be nominated for the 2022 LGBTQ Athletics Department/Conference of the Year Award. The Centennial was joined by Albion College, the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, and the University of Saint Joseph (CT).
Portia Hoeg, the executive director of the Centennial Conference, accepts the award for the league being named as the recipient of the NCAA Division III LGBTQ Athletics Department/Conference of the Year at the 2023 NCAA Convention.