CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker Is Redefining Leadership, Legacy, And HERStory In HBCU Sports

After 32 years of serving HBCU sports, the CIAA Commissioner continues blazing new trails and being a staunch advocate for mental wellness in her conference and beyond.

Jacqie McWilliams Parker | HBCU LEGENDS, WOMEN IN SPORTS

CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker’s journey exemplifies resilience, faith, and leadership shaped through her HBCU experience — a story of womanhood, mentorship, and purpose.

Roots and Resilience

“The Commish” was born into a military family. Her life as a self‑described “military brat” shaped her sense of adaptability and belonging.

“We lived in California and Germany twice,” she recalled. “I can move anywhere and adjust and create community.”

Her mother viewed sports not just as recreation but as a lifeline — a means to anchor a daughter growing up amid constant military transfers. Yet, even behind her bright smile, Commissioner McWilliams Parker admits, there were struggles.

“Sports always gave me a sense of family and community,” she said. “When I wasn’t feeling good about myself, that’s where I was seen.”

As a child, Jacqie participated in activities ranging from baton twirling and bowling to basketball and volleyball. Her mother thoughtfully used these outlets to foster community through the family’s frequent relocations.

Those experiences ultimately laid a unique foundation for her outlook on teamwork, perseverance, and empathy in leadership.

Jacqie McWilliams Parker | CIAA

Hampton Glory

Jacqie McWilliams Parker’s next chapter of resilience took shape at Hampton University — her “home by the sea.”

“I wanted to go to a college where they had some water around,” she fondly shared. She decided to forgo a scholarship opportunity at a PWI, instead following her heart to attend an HBCU.

She told her parents, “If you just let me go [to Hampton University], I’ll work to get my scholarship.”

A walk‑on in two sports, McWilliams Parker transformed opportunity into legacy. Within a year, she earned a scholarship, helped capture a national basketball championship, and became Hampton’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

Known affectionately as “Lil’ Jacqie,” she fulfilled her promise to her parents — and surpassed it.

“I played because I loved the game,” she noted. “Sports is the thing that saved my life and gave me an opportunity to get my college degree.”

Achievements at Hampton

• CIAA Volleyball Freshman of the Year (1988)
• CIAA Volleyball Player of the Year (1990)
• Member of the 1988 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championship team
• Retirement of her No. 12 volleyball jersey

That same tenacity and belief later defined her historic rise to leadership in collegiate sports.

CIAA Commissioner Jacqie Parker-McWilliams | Credit: CIAA

Leadership and Boundaries

Before becoming commissioner, McWilliams Parker planned and managed NCAA national basketball tournaments and served as compliance and championship director at multiple CIAA institutions, including Norfolk State and Morgan State.

Her 2012 appointment made history — she became the first Black woman to lead a major NCAA conference and the first African American female commissioner representing all divisions of the NCAA.

However, she acknowledges the emotional complexity of blazing trails. “I thought my EQ was much better than it was,” she admitted. “I wasn’t prepared for the emotional bandwidth of managing people — and some mean people.”

Her lessons in leadership and emotional intelligence helped shape the CIAA’s modern approach to wellness and boundaries.

“Boundaries are important to our mental space and our hearts,” she explained. “My heart is more important than anything right now, because when my heart is good, I’m good with everything else around me.”

Mental Health, Healing, and the Field

McWilliams Parker leads initiatives that bring mental health consultants to CIAA campuses, equipping student‑athletes to manage stress, emotions, and conflict both on and off the field.

“Sports can be an outlet,” she said. “But when you lose composure, the consequences are real. It could result in a loss of scholarships, even legal trouble. That’s why we have to teach conflict management and self‑control.”

She added, “We’ve got consultants and programs talking to our student‑athletes about composure, their future, what it looks like when you get in altercations. We just have more work to do.”

Advocacy and Safety

Beyond athletics, McWilliams Parker has become a national advocate for safety, equity, and institutional reform.

“These are real things,” she said of recent bomb threats targeting HBCUs. “They’re happening. It’s scary, but we’re learning, preparing, and tightening protocols.”

She has coordinated security upgrades and improved crisis communications while promoting protective policies through federal initiatives such as the SCORE Act.

“We need more funding,” she emphasized. “If we have to pay student‑athletes, it changes the whole model for us. We’re just trying to stabilize HBCU conferences.”

The Heartbeat of HBCU Culture

Even amid policy reform and social change, McWilliams Parker’s spirit soars when discussing the CIAA’s cornerstone event — the CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament in Baltimore.

The conference recently renewed its partnership with the City of Baltimore through 2029. The city’s tourism board projects the total estimated economic impact will exceed $100 million from 2022 to 2029.

“It’s the biggest basketball homecoming ever,” she said with characteristic warmth. “You don’t have to just be Black to come. It’s about community, culture, and love.”

Most recently, McWilliams Parker was named Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports, honoring her equity‑driven vision and transformative work through the CIAA Sports Network and the “CIAA for Life” campaign.

Her joy remains palpable. “I’ve become a fan of my own tournament,” she smiled. “When I’m not the commissioner, I just want to buy my tickets, sit in my same seats, and feel what culture and community really mean.”

A Legacy of Leadership and Love

After more than 31 years in college athletics, Jacqie McWilliams Parker’s legacy transcends victory columns. Her life revolves around empowering future leaders through service, self‑awareness, connection, and love.

“We are family,” she said in closing. “And family means showing up, even when it’s hard.”

HERStory is not merely one of triumph but of truth and selflessness — a powerful reminder that within every challenge lies an opportunity to lead, to love, and to lift others higher.

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