Lilburn, Georgia (March 7, 2003) --The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has named Charlotte West as the winner of its 2003 Jostens-Berenson Service Award, recognizing West's lifelong commitment of service to the game of women's basketball.

"Charlotte has committed her life to women's athletics and has been a true ally of our association," explained WBCA Chief Executive Officer Beth Bass. "Her tireless dedication to not only women's basketball, but women's athletics is second to none. On behalf of the more than 5,000 members of the WBCA, I would like to thank and congratulate Charlotte West on being named this year's recipient of the Jostens-Berenson Service Award."

West is the former associate athletic director at Southern Illinois University. She has spent numerous years at the administrative level contributing to vast areas in athletics. West served as Chair of The NCAA Committee on Financial Aid and Amateurism. In addition, she served on the NCAA Committee on Athletic Certification, NCAA Gender Equity Task Force and the NCAA Management Council.

"Jostens would like to Congratulate Charlotte West on being selected as the 2003 Jostens-Berenson Service Award winner", said Lavisse Smith, Sports Sales Marketing Manager Jostens Sports Solutions. "Through Charlotte's ongoing service to women's athletics she has created opportunities for athletes, coaches and administers dedicated to the improvement of women's athletics."

West is the first of many; she was the first woman member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA); first recipient of the Honda Award; first member to be recognized by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) as the Woman Administrator of the Year and was a member of the first class of women into the Southern Illinois Hall of Fame. West was also the first recipient of the WBCA Administrator of the Year Award in 1987.

Although retired, West still continues to work on ensuring equal opportunity for women in sports.

West will be formally recognized during the WBCA's National Convention at the Jostens-Berenson Awards Brunch on Saturday, April, 5 at 12:00 p.m. at the Georgia World Congress Center Georgia Ballroom. The Jostens-Berenson Awards Luncheon is a program of the 2003 WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Women's Final Four in Atlanta.

The award, sponsored by Jostens, is named in honor of the late Senda Berenson, who in her role as a physical education instructor at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., introduced "basketball" to her female gym students in 1892. This introduction marked the birth of the women's game, which occurred the year following basketball's invention by Dr. James Naismith in Springfield, Mass.

West joins a distinguished group of recipients which includes: Jill Hutchinson (2002); Bob Spencer, Fresno State (2001); the late Dr. Brenda Reilly (2000); Betty Wiseman, Belmont University (1999); Dr. Rose Marie Battaglia (1998); Lea Plarski, Saint Louis Community College (1997); Carole Baumgarten (1996); Billie Moore (1995); Marcy Weston, Central Michigan University (1994); Patsy Neal (1993); Harvey Redin, Wayland Baptist University (1992); Alberta Lee Cox (1991); Bertha Frank Teague (1990); Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee (1989); Hunter Low, Eastman Kodak Company (1988); Cathy Rush, Immaculata College (1987); Mildred Barnes, Central Missouri State University (1986); the late Carol Eckman, Lock Haven University (1985); the late Margaret Wade, Delta State University (1984).

Founded in 1981, the WBCA promote women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA visit its website at www.wbca.org.