The first-ever recipient of the Honda Award of Merit in 1996 for outstanding achievement in women’s collegiate athletics, Dr. Charlotte West was a driving force for more than 40 years in the area of advancement of women’s sports.

On June 30, 1998, she retired from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, after serving in the capacities of head coach, associate athletics director, interim athletics director and senior woman administrator during her 41 years with the Missouri Valley Conference-member institution. West coached five women’s sports from 1957-75 and, in 1982, was among the first group of women inducted into the SIUC Athletics Hall of Fame.

During her tenure at SIUC, she became the first female member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and later served on the organization’s board of directors. West was also a president of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). In 1991, she was presented with the Administrator of the Year Award by the National Association of Collegiate Women Administrators. West also received the Administrator of the Year Award, given by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

PREVIOUS YEAR WINNERS
2000	Mary Ellen Hill, Bradley	Matt Cobb, UNI
2001	Jackie Stiles, Missouri State	Matt Renn, Indiana State
2002	Stacia Beste, Illinois State	Chrysanthos Papachrysantou, Southern Illinois
2003	Tam Hart, Bradley	Christian Goy, Illinois State
2004	Jill Arganbright, UNI	Christopher Hollinden, Evansville
2005	Jessica Crowder, Indiana State	Brad Canada, Bradley
2006	Elizabeth Meyers, Wichita State	John Nay, Indiana State
2007	Katie Martin, Missouri State	Dylan Schmidt, Wichita State
2008	Sara Lungren, Wichita State	Eitan Barbalat, Bradley
2009	Brooke Demo, Wichita State	Bryan Mullins, Southern Illinois
2010	Stacey Miller, Illinois State	Scott Keeney, Indiana State
2011	Tonya Nero, Wichita State	Scott Krapf, Illinois State
2012	Audacia Moore, Wichita State	Heath Melugin, Missouri State
2013	Jacqui Kalin, UNI	Lucas Cherry, Southern Illinois
2014	Anna Stinson, Illinois State	Adam McDonnell, UNI
2015	Kalyn Harker, Southern Illinois	Alen Salibasic, Drake
2016	Ashley Rosch, Illinois State	Jacob Hendren, Illinois State
2017	Angie Davison, UNI	Reed Fischer, Drake
2018	Lily Johnson, Missouri State	Connor Ehnle, Illinois State
2019	Emily Butters, Missouri State	Michael Ward, Bradley
2020	Becca Hittner, Drake	C.J. May, UNI
2021	Gabi Haack, Bradley	Jake McCaw, Illinois State
2022	Ashley Santos, Illinois State	Jacob Gillum, Illinois State
2023	Abby Cavaiani, Missouri State	Cam Cratic, Missouri State
2024	Samantha Heyer, Northern Iowa	Kian Yari, Missouri State
2025	Kira Fallert, Northern Iowa	Anthony Delisanti, Valparaiso