NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Chapman Athletics is very proud to announce swim and dive head coach Juliet Suess has been named the NCAA Division III LGBTQ Coach of Year.
Please see the NCAA's full release below:
The two 2024 Division III LGBTQ of the Year recipients are Emerald Svienty, a men's cross country student-athlete at North Central (Illinois), and Juliet Suess, head swimming and diving coach at Chapman. The recipients were honored at the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Division III LGBTQ of the Year Recognition Award Program, developed by the Division III LGBTQIA+ Working Group, aims to recognize, honor and celebrate the academic achievements, athletics excellence, service and leadership of LGBTQ student-athletes and the service, leadership and promotion of LGBTQ inclusion by an LGBTQ athletics administrator, coach or staff member. The Athletics Department/Conference of the Year Award was not given this year.
2024 Division III LGBTQ Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award
Juliet Suess, head swimming and diving coach, Chapman
Juliet Suess has used their platform on Chapman's campus to advocate, educate and raise awareness on LGBTQ+ issues. Suess, who identifies as nonbinary, has spoken on podcasts, been interviewed for articles and served as a guest lecturer in multiple classes. They are also a member of an LGBTQ+ advisory group on campus and served on various panels for LGBTQ+ events, including for Preview Day for incoming students. Suess has spearheaded an effort to put together new policies and procedures on campus. Suess said their biggest accomplishment has been their work as an advisor on the IMPACT Committee, which seeks to advance diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
"In my role as IMPACT chair, I am helping to cultivate DEI-based policies, as well as ensuring all policies are LGBTQ+ inclusive," Suess said. "I have been interviewed by … a variety of students, which shows that my presence and impact on campus is going beyond just sport and my department. It has been a pleasure to be in the classroom, as well as have students who I have never met come to me for advice and insight."
