Women in the Huddle
Women in the Huddle is the annual event for Women & Giving, an organization that inspires women to take the lead in donating their time, money and talents to help shape the future of South Dakota State University.
This year’s event features Patty Viverito, Senior Associate Commissioner of the Missouri Valley Conference. Women in the Huddle will also include a panel discussion with: Nanabah Allison- Brewer, SDSU Head Volleyball Coach; Laurie Melum, SDSU Assistant Athletic Director for Academics; and Nancy Neiber, former SDSU Women’s Basketball Coach.
The Women & Giving annual event will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, May 21, 2010, at the SDSU Foundation Building, 815 Medary Avenue. For questions or to RSVP, contact elaine.brown@sdsufoundation.org or 605-697-7475 ext. 3023.
Viverito is in her 18th season as senior associate commissioner at the Missouri Valley Conference. She is also in her 25th year directing the Missouri Valley Football Conference as its commissioner.
A Chicago native, Viverito was named the Missouri Valley Football’s first commissioner in September of 1982. She led the conference (then known as the Gateway Conference) to national prominence in the 1980s. The league, which sponsored nine women’s sports and FCS football, saw its women’s programs merge with their MVC men’s counterparts in 1992.
At The Valley, Viverito’s responsibilities include championship administration and compliance, serving as the primary coaches liaison for most sports, and she served as the Tournament Director of the 2001 and 2009 NCAA Women’s Final Four.
Allison-Brewer took over the Jackrabbit volleyball program in 2008 after two years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. A Farmington, N.M. native, she joined the Dartmouth staff after completing her master’s degree in higher education and serving as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Arizona, where in her final year, the Wildcats advanced in the elite eight at the 2006 NCAA tournament.
One of just a handful of Native Americans (Navajo) to play and coach at the Division I level, Allison-Brewer earned four varsity letters at the University of New Mexico from 1995 to 1999, compiling 1,005 digs and 195 service aces for the Lobos in 417 games over 118 matches.
The founder and president of the Native American Volleyball Academy (NAVA), Allison-Brewer remains active numerous organizations, including the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Minority Coaches Committee and as a member of the USA Volleyball Diversity Commission.
Before moving in to the academic side of the Athletic Department, Melum was an assistant coach for the SDSU women’s basketball program for eight years. She played an instrumental role in the development of the Jackrabbit women’s basketball program into a championship-caliber team at the NCAA Division II level and has helped direct a seamless transition into the Division I ranks by serving as recruiting coordinator. Melum’s recruiting has allowed the Jackrabbits to attract a number of top in-state high school recruits throughout the D-I transition, while continuing to secure commitments from top-level players throughout the Upper Midwest.
A Rapid City native and graduate of Stevens High School, Melum played four years at Augustana College, earning all-North Central Conference and academic all-NCC honors as a senior in 1997.
Longtime coach and athletics administrator, Neiber retired in June 2007, ending nearly 25 years at South Dakota State University. A Pierre native, Neiber was hired as women’s basketball head coach at SDSU in 1984. Over 16 seasons, Neiber became the winningest basketball coach in SDSU history, compiling a 301-140 career record (.683 winning percentage). Neiber’s teams posted 14 consecutive winning seasons from 1987-2000, recording two runner-up finishes in the North Central Conference and six NCAA Divsion II postseason appearances. She earned NCC Coach of the Year honors in 1988 and 1995, and was honored as the NCAA Division II District VII Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in 1995.
In June of 2000, Neiber stepped down from her coaching position to become SDSU’s first full-time senior woman administrator for athletics. During her time as an administrator, SDSU moved to NCAA Division I, added women’s equestrian as the school’s 21st varsity sport and secured membership in the Mid-Continent Conference for most sports, as well as the Great West Football Conference and Western Wrestling Conference.
The Women & Giving annual event will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, May 21, 2010 at the SDSU Foundation Building, 815 Medary Avenue. for questions or to rsvp contact elaine.brown@sdsufoundation.org or 605-697-7475 ext. 3023
Schedule of Events
9:00 a.m.
Registration – Coffee, Juice, and Scones
9:30 a.m.
Welcome
9:45 a.m.
Panel Discussion
Nanabah Allison-Brewer
Laurie Melum
Nancy Neiber
10:45 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m.
Patty Viverito
12:00
Networking Lunch
1:00
2009 Grant Recipients
1:30
Closing Remarks