PITTSBURGH, PA – Johnson & Wales Charlotte Athletic Director, Trudi Lacey, Inducted into North Carolina State Sports Hall of Fame.
By: Keenan Thorburn
Johnson and Wales Charlotte Athletic Director, Trudi Lacey, has an impressive resume including stints with two WNBA teams, the Charlotte Sting and the Washington Mystics prior to taking the helm at Johnson and Wales University - Charlotte as the Athletic Director. She recently received an honor that adds to her accolades as she will be inducted into the North Carolina State Sports Hall of Fame on April 21st of this year. Lacey, who grew up in Clifton Forge, Virginia, was a standout student-athlete and basketball player at N.C.State and recounts that her best college memories come from the relationships built with teammates and coaches. “Having special people to share those times with and have those life long relationships is what means the most to me” said Lacey.
Lacey, who carried those experiences from college and the WBNA into her current role, says that what motivates her as an athletic director is the “impact I can have on our student athletes and also our students as well as the coaches”. Her mission is to “develop young coaches and help them to be the best they can be personally, professionally, and help them anyway I can to develop the skills to advance their careers”. Lacey continues by sharing her approach with the athletes. “A holistic approach that helps them become the best version of themselves, but also become the best athlete in their particular sport. Most importantly that they progress in their educational endeavors and graduate from college”.
The accumulation of Laceys experience in coaching Division 1 level basketball, USA Basketball, head coach and General Manager in the WNBA has led to her success. Lacey says “the combination of coaching at that high of a level, as well as developing administrative skills at the WNBA level helped me prepare to be the Athletic Director at Johnson and Wales University”.
After being inducted into the North Carolina State Sports Hall of Fame Laceys’ first thought was “gratitude and gratefulness for my family and parents who sacrificed so much for me and my sister to have a better life”. Lacey mentioned that “when something like this happens it's nothing you’ve done on your own there are alot of people involved helping you”.
From the United States Collegiate Athletic Association members and staff we want to congratulate Trudi Lacey on this milestone in her career and on the legacy she is building with Johnson and Wales University.