Barvenia Wooten-Cherry, the head coach of the Virginia Union University women's basketball team and a member of the VUU & CIAA Halls of Fame, has been named to the NCAA Division II 40th Anniversary Team, the NCAA announced.
While attending VUU, Cherry captured many outstanding accomplishments. Cherry led the Lady Panthers in scoring and rebounding during her junior and senior years.Cherry was a part of two CIAA Championship teams: in 1981 and 1982. Not only did she capture CIAA gold, she was named to the All-CIAA team in 1981, 1982 and again in 1983.
One of her biggest accomplishments was leading the Lady Panthers to a NCAA Division II National Championship in 1983. In the national championship game, she would score 25 points and have 15 rebounds, earning her ESPN's MVP Award. For her hard work and dedication, she also was selected to be a part of the 1983 NCAA Division II Regional and National Championship All- Tournament teams. She would end her collegiate career with a total of 1,534 points and 724 rebounds, ranking her with All-American status.
Off the court, Wooten-Cherry was crowned Miss Virginia Union University in 1983. She would then become a proud member of Virginia Union's Beta Epsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Wooten Collier graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor's of Science in Accounting from the University's Sydney L. Lewis School of Business in 1983. In June 2009, she earned her Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership from Nyack College in Washington, D.C.
In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of NCAA Division II, 48 former student-athletes are set to be honored by the NCAA throughout 2013. Developed through a partnership with the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, the 40th Anniversary Tribute Team highlights one male and one female from each of the division's 23 current conferences, plus two at-large nominees.
“This group of former student-athletes is meant to reflect the core values of Division II athletics,” said Josh Looney, associate director of Division II. “Commissioners have helped identify a diverse group of championship individuals from Division II's 40-year history. Not only did these former student-athletes act as champions in athletics and in the classroom, they've gone on to live championship lives as well.
“This group is a true representation of Division II's commitment to providing its student-athletes a 'Life in the Balance' that extends beyond athletics.” Division II gained its own unique intercollegiate athletics identity when Divisions I, II and III were formalized during a special NCAA Convention held in 1973. Prior to 1973, the NCAA was organized into two divisions––“University” and “College.”
The year-long 40th Anniversary celebration will feature a number of initiatives branded by Division II's tradition, history and community influence. A special 40th Anniversary highlight video was unveiled to Division II membership during the 2013 NCAA Convention, officially kicking off the celebration.
Each member of the Division II 40th Anniversary Tribute Team will receive a commemorative 40th Anniversary gift and is slated to have his/her accomplishments profiled through Division II media channels.
Conferences were asked to submit a list of nominees representative of Division II's ideals. The only requirement was that nominees exhausted their athletics eligibility within the past 40 years and attended a college or university active in Division II.
The NCAA Division II 40th Anniversary Tribute Team:
California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)
Violet Palmer (Cal Poly Pomona Women's Basketball, 1984-88)
Chris Wondolowski (Chico State Men's Soccer, 2001-04)
Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC)
Michelle DePolo (Georgian Court University Women's Basketball; Soccer; Softball, 1999-03)
Nicholas Harriott (Caldwell College Men's Soccer, 2004-08)
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
Barvenia Wooten-Cherry (Virginia Union University Women's Basketball, 1980-83)
Timmy Newsome (Winston-Salem State University Football, 1976-80)
