Champaign, ILL. (September 9, 2026) – The University of Illinois announced today it received a Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching grant from the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF®). Grants were awarded to institutions to support collegiate women coaches on the rise, assisting with living expenses, professional development and mentorship. The University of Illinois is among this year’s grant recipients, which are designated for women coaching fellows in a wide variety of sports.

“We are proud to be a member of this year’s class of the Women’s Sports Foundation VanDerveer Fund recipients,” said Stephanie Wheeler, Head Coach of Women’s Wheelchair Basketball at the University of Illinois. “We recognize the critical importance of closing the gender gap and the in the coaching ranks, and seeing more women, especially women with disabilities, in these influential roles helps inspire our women disabled student athletes. This grant will allow us to support the growth and development of a great young female coach, Morgan McCammon. She will bring the passion, knowledge, and joy she had for wheelchair basketball as a student athlete back to our program as an assistant coach. It will also enhance the growth of our student athletes by allowing us to hire an additional coach on staff, increasing the amount of individual coaching and mentorship they will receive, both on the court and off the court.”

Morgan McCammon was a 5-year letter winner in wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois. Morgans playing accolades include being named to the NWBA All-Rookie team in 2022. She was also named an Academic All-American in four consecutive years (2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026). She finished with 1,187 career points and 685 career rebounds. She is currently a second-year graduate student in Recreation, Sport and Tourism and serves an assistant coach with the local youth wheelchair basketball team, the Champaign Rollin’ Heat. She will serve as the assistant coach for the Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team during her time as a WSF Vanderveer Fellow. After graduation, Morgan aspires to coach women’s basketball at the collegiate level.

Since Title IX’s passage, the representation of women in collegiate coaching roles has drastically declined. During the 1970-71 academic year, women served as head coaches for 90% of women’s college teams. Fast forward to the 2024-25 academic year, women held only 41% of head coaching positions in women’s NCAA sports. The disparity is even more pronounced among BIPOC women, who made up only 8% of head coaches in women’s NCAA sports. In the same year, only 29% of all NCAA assistant coaches were women, with only 7% of all assistant coaches for men’s and women’s teams being BIPOC women.

Furthermore, WSF’s research report, “Play to Lead: The Generational Impact of Sports on Women’s Leadership,” revealed that there are still barriers to sport participation, including a lack of women role models and access to quality coaches. The data shows the lack of representation in coaching positions throughout the country is evident, and WSF is taking steps to address it by expanding the pipeline for aspiring women coaches at the collegiate level through the Tara VanDerveer Fund.

Inspired by the trailblazing coach, the WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching honors her legacy while investing in the future of collegiate sports. At the center of the program is the VanDerveer Fellow experience. Fellows participate in monthly connection and development sessions, engage with mentor coaches, and learn from inspirational guest speakers who are leaders in sport and beyond. The experience also includes a trip to New York City for WSF’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports® and related events. Together, these opportunities foster a strong, supportive community where Fellows learn from experts and each other, while applying new insights to their teams and careers.

This cohort continues the work of the Fund, which has now provided more than $1.6 million to 58 colleges and universities, supporting 68 VanDerveer Fellows across 17 sports. WSF looks forward to seeing where this group takes their coaching careers.

“For more than 50 years, the Women’s Sports Foundation has worked to expand opportunities for women to lead in sport, and coaching is a critical part of that work,” said WSF CEO Danette Leighton. “Women coaches bring invaluable perspectives, leadership and lived experience to athletes and the broader sports ecosystem. Through the Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching, we are helping ensure more women have the opportunity to build careers and shape the future of sport. When young athletes see women coaching and leading, they see what is possible for themselves, and that is a legacy we are proud to continue building.”

To learn more about the VanDerveer Fund and meet the 2026 grant recipients, please visit: WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching

About the Women’s Sports Foundation

The Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate, and a catalyst for tomorrow’s leaders. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we are one of the first organizations to recognize the powerful connection between sport access, equity, and society. For over 50 years, WSF has been changing the game through its research, advocacy, and community programming, investing over $115 million to help girls and women play, compete, and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers. A leader and champion of the entire women’s sports ecosystem, WSF amplifies the vital societal and cultural impact that is made when girls and women play sports. When girls play, they lead, and we all win!®

To learn more about the Women’s Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.

Media Contact:

Matthew Poland
University of Illinois
mpoland2@illinois.edu

Kandice Miller
Women’s Sports Foundation
479.409.7779
KMiller@WomensSportsFoundation.org