Kittanning alum Kate Costanzo nominated for new NCAA LGBTQ award
Allegheny women’s basketball coach Kate Costanzo is nominated for a new award in NCAA Division III.
Also a senior administrator at Allegheny, Costanzo, a Manorville native and Kittanning graduate, is up for the inaugural LGBTQ Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award.
The award “honors the service, leadership and promotion of LGBTQ ( lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) inclusion by a LGBTQ athletics administrator, coach or staff member in Division III.”
The winner will be announced during the virtual NCAA Convention in January.
Three new awards were launched this year as part of the NCAA’s OneTeam initiative, including the LGBTQ Student-Athlete of the Year and the OneTeam Athletics Department of the Year.
Costanzo’s reach in this arena goes beyond basketball. She also serves as the school’s athletics diversity and inclusion designee, which is a liaison between the NCAA and campus regarding diversity and equity issues come to light.
She will begin her 14th season at Allegheny.
Costanzo also has served as the co-chair of the Pride Alliance, Allegheny’s faculty and staff LGBTQ-plus group.
A gay pride night during a women’s-men’s basketball doubleheader last season raised money for The Trevor Project, a national crisis intervention and suicide prevention to LGBTQ people under age 25. She started NCAA OneTeam training for the athletic department’s staff and was scheduled to attend the NCAA Equity & Inclusion Forum, but both were delayed due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Get to know @AlleghenyWBB Head Coach and SWA Kate Costanzo! #bringyourAgame pic.twitter.com/3Qk6N5IyHs
— Allegheny Gators (@ACGatorSports) March 25, 2020
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
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