Miami, March 29, 2021 – Miami Dade College (MDC) President Madeline Pumariega will be inducted into the Florida College System Activities Association Athletics (FCSAA) Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Hall of Fame. She will be recognized at a ceremony on April 10, during the organization’s annual state basketball tournament, April 7-10 in Niceville, FL.
“Thank you to the FCSAA for this tremendous honor,” President Pumariega said. “I began my journey at MDC as a student athlete on the basketball team, and now I am president of this amazing institution. I hope my story inspires new generations of female athletes to follow their dreams.”
Breaking through barriers and making history, President Pumariega is the first female president to lead MDC. Her passion for innovation in higher education was born out of her own experiences, first as student and then as a longtime administrator at MDC. She also served as assistant coach for MDC’s women’s basketball team for five seasons.
President Pumariega was nominated for the FCSAA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Hall of Fame by Susan Summons, who recently celebrated 35 years as MDC’s women’s basketball head coach.
“I could not be prouder,” Coach Summons said. “I had a vision many years ago when I saw a great leader in Madeline. She became that leader on the court leading the team to the state championship tournament as my center, then later as my assistant coach and now she is leading again, this time as Miami Dade College’s first female president.”
MDC’s Department of Athletics prides itself in the sponsorship of academic development and the promotion of sports. The women’s basketball program boasts a 93% graduation and transfer rate of its players to the university level, one of the highest among community colleges in the nation. The team has qualified for the FCSAA State Championship for the past three years in a row.
In total, MDC teams have earned a total of 35 NJCAA national titles, including 15 in women’s sports. Its student athletes have succeeded everywhere from the professional playing field to the board room. Many MDC sports alumni are members of the halls of fame in their respective collegiate and professional sports. Others are leaders in business and industry. For more information, visit www.mdcathletics.com.
To learn more about the FCSAA, visit www.thefcsaasports.com.
View President Pumariega’s complete bio here.