Northwest Notes June 29, 2020
EWU’s Barriere helps
with Big Sky diversity
and inclusion plan
FARMINGTON, Utah — Nearly 1,500 Big Sky student-athletes, coaches, and athletics department staff members joined “A Conversation for All,” a one-hour virtual forum that the conference hosted last week exclusively for its membership as the launch of a comprehensive slate of diversity and inclusion programming that will focus on the Black Lives Matter movement.
The first of a forthcoming series of candid conversations in which league members can participate, this forum is one of several initiatives the Big Sky Conference will debut during the 2020-21 academic year to build community support, increase knowledge, provide practical takeaways, and empower participants’ efforts on equity, diversity, and inclusion plans through the conference office and its member institutions.
The “A Conversation for All” panelists were Sacramento State athletic director Mark Orr, Montana men’s basketball coach Travis DeCuire, Northern Arizona women’s basketball coach Loree Payne, Eastern Washington quarterback Eric Barriere and Southern Utah track and field athlete and Big Sky SAAC representative Peyton Green. The five panelists shared their thoughts and experiences related to the Black Lives Matter movement and the social unrest going on in the country today. Adrienne Andrews, Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Weber State, served as moderator.
The initiatives and programming for the school year include offering additional virtual forums, forming small group webinar sessions, dedicating a week to diversity and inclusion education, participating in the NCAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Campaign, recognizing Nov. 3 as a mandatory day off from athletic events to encourage voting, and continuing to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will enhance its mental health awareness campaign to include a focus on racial injustice and the effects it has on student-athletes. Additionally, the Big Sky’s athletic departments are partnering with their campus communities to share tools and resources to support individuals and departments across all of the member institutions.
Boise State Hall of Fame
induction ceremony postponed
BOISE — Boise State Athletics has postponed its 2020 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, initially scheduled for Sept. 4, BSU athletic director Curt Apsey announced.
“Not knowing what social distancing measures will be in place this fall has made planning for this event difficult, and we also don’t feel like we could hold the type of ceremony our inductees deserve at this time.” Apsey said.
The Hall of Fame ceremony has tentatively been planned for fall of 2021, but official confirmation will come at a later date.
The Boise State Athletics Hall of Fame Committee announced the 2020 Hall of Fame Class in February, a list of former Bronco greats that includes Emma Bates (women’s track & field), Gene Bleymaier (former athletic director), Ben Cherrington (wrestling), Kurt Felix (men’s track and field), Korey Hall (football) and Luke Shields (men’s tennis).