Rocky Mount, N.C. - During the week of April 6-12, the NCAA held its fourth annual Division III Week, an initiative created to highlight the impact of Division III student-athletes on their campuses and in their surrounding communities. Division III affiliates were encouraged to conduct an outreach activity during the week, and North Carolina Wesleyan was proud to join approximately 450 institutions supporting the cause.
Several activities took place on campus during the week that could be classified as outreach opportunities. From our first annual Battle of the Bishops that pitted class against class -- to the celebration of our spring sport Senior Days -- to our Alumni & Recruit Weekend... the campus was abuzz with Battling Bishop pride.
One event, however, embodied the Division III experience. It provided the the perfect combination of academics, athletics and campus involvement, and in doing so, it united the past with the present and future. For its Division III Week activity, the Department of Athletics has chosen to highlight Saturday's remembrance ceremony for former Wesleyan soccer standout Gwen Gordon Shiley.
First, it should be noted that our NCWC athletes are among over 185,000 students who play varsity sports in the NCAA's largest division. Division III athletes play for the love of the game, while excelling in the classroom and demonstrating academic accomplishment, athletic excellence and leadership. No athlete better exemplified these characteristics than Gordon, who recently passed away in December of 2014.
Gordon, a 1997 Justice Studies graduate, was an outstanding member of the Battling Bishop women's soccer program for four seasons. She was an integral part of Wesleyan's 1994 squad that reached the NCAA Final Four, as well as the 1996 team that advanced to the Elite Eight. A two-time First Team All-Conference defender in 1996 and 1997, Gwen was named to the USA South's 50th Anniversary Team in 2013.
Remembered as an incredible team member and professional, Gwen embodied a commitment to excellence in her life, and she aspired to achieve it in all that she did. In loving memory of Gwen and her accomplishments, the North Carolina Wesleyan College Women's Soccer Alumni announced on Saturday the establishment of the Gwen Gordon Shiley Endowed Scholarship Fund in her honor.
The ceremony was part of the Battling Bishops' Alumni Weekend and featured both past and present players. Former Wesleyan and current East Carolina University head coach Rob Donnenwirth spoke to Gordon's legacy, as did several teammates, family and friends. NCWC Vice President for College Advancement made the official announcement to a crowd of supporters wearing t-shirts displaying Gordon's #10.
An emotional tribute, the event provided a fitting end to a week aimed to highlight the positive opportunities that Division III offers its student-athletes. Gordon was merely one story among thousands nationwide, but her story will now live on beyond Division III Week as future Bishops are sure to benefit from her legacy.