Houston, Murphy Receive 2023 ACC Unite Award
October 18, 2023 | General
LOUISVILLE – The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced Wade Houston and Alyssa Murphy as recipients of the 2023 ACC UNITE Award, an award created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.
Wade Houston became the first African American to sign a basketball scholarship at the University of Louisville in 1962 and was one of the first three African American men's basketball student-athletes at the school in 1963. A native of Alcoa, Tennessee, a small town outside of Knoxville, Houston became the first African American assistant coach of a revenue sport at Louisville in 1976, working as an assistant coach under Denny Crumm for 13 years, where he contributed to two of Louisville's three national championships. In 1989, he was named the head coach of the University of Tennessee, when he became the first African American head coach for men's basketball in the SEC.
Houston has always been active in the community. He is the founder of the Black Coaches and co-founder of the African American Business Alliance. He serves or has served on the following boards – Old National Bank, The Rawlings Group, the University of Louisville Athletic Board, and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Along with Junior Bridgeman, he founded the Houston-Bridgeman scholarship program at the University of Louisville.
Houston also serves on the board of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, which was founded to foster healthy and productive relationships between fathers and sons, and mentors and mentees. He also served as co-chair of Governor Steve Beshear's inauguration committee and holds an honorary Doctorate from Spalding University.
A long-time employee of the University of Louisville, Murphy serves as the the Director of Student-Athlete Leadership and Development. As the first woman of color to assume the role of assistant athletics director or higher in the history of the Louisville athletics program, Murphy has continued to create spaces for minority student-athletes during her tenure.
Murphy plays a role within programs such as Free Space, a group to support LGBT student-athletes. Murphy is also involved with WAVE and Sister's Circle at the University of Louisville. The programs are empowerment groups structured around the support of women and women of color.
Through her involvement with the student-athletes, Murphy continues to promote and instill racial justice, social justice, and equity for all. Murphy is synonymous with the advancements of the University of Louisville athletics.
The UNITE Award is presented annually to individuals who:
2023 UNITE Award Recipients
Boston College: Joana Maynard & John Austin
Clemson: Dr. Rhondda Thomas & Dr. James E. (Jim) Bostic Jr.
Duke: Dr. Kevin White & Marissa Young
Florida State: Corey Simon & Angel Gray
Georgia Tech: Carla Gilson & Charles Easley
Louisville: Wade Houston & Alyssa Murphy
Miami: Dr. Laura Kohn-Wood & Dr. Donald Spivey
North Carolina: Ricky Lanier & Karen Stevenson
NC State: Chavonda Jacobs-Young & Cullen Jones
Notre Dame: JP Abercrumbie & Justin Morrow
Pitt: Sheila I. Velez Martinez & Ron Idoko
Syracuse: Clothilde Ewing & Noah Singlemann
Virginia: Milla Ciprian & Craig Littlepage
Virginia Tech: Jacelyn Lazore & Kahlil Dover
Wake Forest: Dr. Larry Hopkins & Muriel "Beth" Hopkins
Wade Houston became the first African American to sign a basketball scholarship at the University of Louisville in 1962 and was one of the first three African American men's basketball student-athletes at the school in 1963. A native of Alcoa, Tennessee, a small town outside of Knoxville, Houston became the first African American assistant coach of a revenue sport at Louisville in 1976, working as an assistant coach under Denny Crumm for 13 years, where he contributed to two of Louisville's three national championships. In 1989, he was named the head coach of the University of Tennessee, when he became the first African American head coach for men's basketball in the SEC.
Houston has always been active in the community. He is the founder of the Black Coaches and co-founder of the African American Business Alliance. He serves or has served on the following boards – Old National Bank, The Rawlings Group, the University of Louisville Athletic Board, and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Along with Junior Bridgeman, he founded the Houston-Bridgeman scholarship program at the University of Louisville.
Houston also serves on the board of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, which was founded to foster healthy and productive relationships between fathers and sons, and mentors and mentees. He also served as co-chair of Governor Steve Beshear's inauguration committee and holds an honorary Doctorate from Spalding University.
A long-time employee of the University of Louisville, Murphy serves as the the Director of Student-Athlete Leadership and Development. As the first woman of color to assume the role of assistant athletics director or higher in the history of the Louisville athletics program, Murphy has continued to create spaces for minority student-athletes during her tenure.
Murphy plays a role within programs such as Free Space, a group to support LGBT student-athletes. Murphy is also involved with WAVE and Sister's Circle at the University of Louisville. The programs are empowerment groups structured around the support of women and women of color.
Through her involvement with the student-athletes, Murphy continues to promote and instill racial justice, social justice, and equity for all. Murphy is synonymous with the advancements of the University of Louisville athletics.
The UNITE Award is presented annually to individuals who:
- Best exemplifies ACC CORE's mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy.
- Have helped create meaningful, lasting change by improving systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes.
- Have been a pioneer and/or helped pave the way for minorities either at the institution or in the community.
2023 UNITE Award Recipients
Boston College: Joana Maynard & John Austin
Clemson: Dr. Rhondda Thomas & Dr. James E. (Jim) Bostic Jr.
Duke: Dr. Kevin White & Marissa Young
Florida State: Corey Simon & Angel Gray
Georgia Tech: Carla Gilson & Charles Easley
Louisville: Wade Houston & Alyssa Murphy
Miami: Dr. Laura Kohn-Wood & Dr. Donald Spivey
North Carolina: Ricky Lanier & Karen Stevenson
NC State: Chavonda Jacobs-Young & Cullen Jones
Notre Dame: JP Abercrumbie & Justin Morrow
Pitt: Sheila I. Velez Martinez & Ron Idoko
Syracuse: Clothilde Ewing & Noah Singlemann
Virginia: Milla Ciprian & Craig Littlepage
Virginia Tech: Jacelyn Lazore & Kahlil Dover
Wake Forest: Dr. Larry Hopkins & Muriel "Beth" Hopkins
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