Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia joined a fast-growing group of nearly 60 NCAA Division I athletic directors from around the nation who have signed the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge. Moccia added his name to the list Tuesday afternoon and is one of five Western Athletic Conference (WAC) ADs who have made the commitment to ensure diversity when conducting coaching searches.
The CCDP is an opt-in pledge by Division I athletics directors to include a diverse group of candidates in the finalist pool for head coach vacancies in men's basketball, women's basketball and football. A "diverse pool" is defined as a group of finalists that includes at least one candidate from a diverse or traditionally underrepresented background and at least one candidate from a non-diverse background.
"Signing the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge is something I would recommend to all Athletic Directors and I'm proud to join the list who have already made this commitment," commented Moccia. "In the 14 years I have been an Athletic Director, every football, men's and women's basketball finalist pool has featured a diverse background of individuals and we will continue to uphold that commitment in any of these head coaching searches we have moving forward."
The Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge is overseen by an independent Board of Advocates that consists of highly respected individuals from higher education and sports. Assisting the Board of Advocates is the Board of Coaches, who is responsible for working directly with their peers in the coaching community to ensure compliance with the procedures of the pledge, acting as an advocate for the pledge, as well as helping evolve the pledge into other areas (such as the hiring of assistant coaches).
The Board of Advocates works directly with the Third-Party Clearinghouse (James Moore & Co.) to randomly select a meaningful percentage of hires each year to review in order to confirm CCDP compliance.
++NM State++
