Clemson Athletic Academic Advisor Ginty Porter Receives 2007 Dr. Gene Hooks Award

Oct. 11, 2007

Southlake, Texas – The Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Association is pleased to announce the 2007 Dr. Gene Hooks Award recipient is Elizabeth “Ginty” Porter of Clemson University.

This award is given each year to the 1A CHAMPS Administrator who has made a significant contribution to the 1A CHAMPS program over a five-year period of time.

Dutch Baughman, Executive Director of Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Association, presented the award to Porter at the 2007 Annual Meeting at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Conference Center in Grapevine, Texas. Baughman remarked that “Ginty was instrumental in Clemson’s recognition as one of the top student-athlete wellbeing programs in intercollegiate athletics. She is a veteran voice in student-athlete life skills and her experience is well respected throughout this profession.”

The award is named for Dr. Gene Hooks, who was the first Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Association Executive Director. In 1992, working through the Association’s Mission and Values Committee, Hooks spearheaded the movement to bring “CHallenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success” to reality through a series of actions which propelled the program forward. Hooks became the Director of the 1A CHAMPS program in 1997 and, after seeing virtually all 1A schools develop a CHAMPS initiative, retired in 2001.

Porter joins a list of esteemed athletic professionals whose commitment to student-athletes led to improved student-athlete programs and services. Other recipients of the Dr. Gene Hooks award are:

1999 – Pam Overton (Florida State University) 2000 – Bob Bradley (University of Kentucky) 2001 – Dr. Kate Riffee (Ohio State University) 2002 – Cedric Dempsey (Pres. NCAA, Director of Athletics, University of Arizona) 2003 – Tom Perry (University of South Carolina) 2004 – Steve McDonnell (Texas A&M University) 2006 – Keith Zimmer (University of Nebraska)