Sheila Brown
A 1968 graduate of St. Olaf College, Sheila Brown was an advocate for girls and women in sports throughout her life and served as the Athletic Director at the College of St. Catherine from 1994 until 2005. During her tenure, athletics at the college took on new life and energy. She was an ardent supporter of providing opportunities for young women to compete in sports and in 1995 brought varsity basketball back to campus after it was dropped in 1985. In the fall of 1998, Brown's ongoing work led to the addition of both varsity ice hockey and soccer. Her belief that coaches were educators who played a vital role in a student-athlete’s college experience led to full-time coaches being hired for all varsity sports at St. Catherine. Brown also took on many leadership roles at the college and in the MIAC, working diligently with the conference office to secure funding for women’s hockey through the Mighty Ducks grant. She also served as the Chair for the MIAC Athletic Directors' Council. Throughout her time and effort working in athletics, there was nothing Brown loved more than watching college women compete in sports. Her dedication and contributions to women’s athletics at St. Catherine were immeasurable. In 2006, she was posthumously inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame and received the MIAC's Distinguished Service Award. Since 2006, the MIAC has also presented the Sheila Brown Award each year to a senior MIAC women's ice hockey student-athlete who has made a long-term contribution to their team's success, has excelled competitively, displayed good leadership and citizenship. Most recently Brown was the recipient of the 2022 National Girls & Women in Sport Day Legacy Award in Minnesota.

Kay Lawton
Kay Lawton coached the College of St. Catherine volleyball team from 1979 until 1998. Her teams during this time were powerhouses and appeared numerous times at the regional and national level. Upon her retirement from St. Kate’s in 1998, leaving with a multitude of accolades, and over 30 student-athletes receiving conference honors, Lawton continued the advancement of women’s indoor volleyball in the Midwest region. She has put her time into running some of the most recognized camps and clinics, and her contributions being recognized by USA Volleyball as she was awarded the North Country Region Salute at the 2009 Annual Boyce Awards. This award honors individuals for their long-term contribution to the sport of volleyball. Lawton was also one of six coaches to help launch MVI (Midwest Volleyball Instructors) Camps in the early 1980s. MVI Camps are the longest running volleyball camps in Minnesota and have hosted over 10,000 players. Lawton’s efforts to continue the development of indoor women’s volleyball and focus on helping young female athletes is a vital reason for her being named to the influential leaders in the MIAC Title IX 50th Year Celebration.