The Gerald R. Ford Award honors an individual who has provided significant leadership as an advocate for intercollegiate athletics throughout their career. Named after the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, this award recognizes his contributions to sports and leadership. The 2026 recipient of the award is women’s basketball trailblazer, Charlene Curtis. Charlene Curtis was a groundbreaking leader in women’s basketball, becoming the first Black women’s basketball head coach in the ACC. A standout at Radford, she became the program’s first 1,000-point scorer and a Hall of Famer. She went on to successful head-coaching roles at Radford, Temple, and Wake Forest, breaking barriers throughout her career. Curtis also shaped the game off the court, serving as the ACC’s supervisor of women’s basketball officials for 11 years and overseeing officiating across multiple conferences. Stephanie Howard, a former player of Curtis, speaks on the impact and legacy she had on individ...