Val Ackerman

• Was a four-year starter and two-time Academic All-American at the University of Virginia, and also played professionally in France for one year
• Became the WNBA's first president, guiding the league to a much-heralded launch (1997) and overseeing its day-to-day operations for its first eight years
• Was a USA Basketball board member beginning in 1989, and was the driving force behind the Women's Senior National Team that produced a 60-0 record and won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
• Was the first woman elected to represent the USA on the board of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
• Became the first woman to serve as President of USA Basketball (2005), leading the organization to an overall competitive record of 222-23 with gold medal performances across its programs
• Received the Naismith Hall of Fame's John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award (2008)
• Was named the fifth Commissioner of the Big East Conference (2013), rebuilding the league following conference realignment and leading it to five national basketball championships before retiring in 2026