Now in its 18th year, the NCAA Graduate Student Research Grant Program aims to stimulate research on college sports by providing financial support to graduate students in social and behavioral science fields.
A review panel comprising nine athletics administrators and faculty from NCAA member schools selected five research proposals to fund in the 2024 cycle of the program. Their work will help inform NCAA member schools and the public on key topics.
"This award challenges graduate students to develop research that is impactful on college athletics," said Rebecca Spencer, chair of the panel and professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences and faculty athletics representative at Massachusetts. "This year's awards will support research that may identify ways to support athletes' mental health during and after their college careers and explore ways for colleges to support underrepresented student-athletes and coaches."
"These awards not only support this important research but also are an asset to the career development of the five awardees. These findings will be reported to their peers at professional conferences and in publications, allowing them to have an impact on future research and college athletics programs."
Awards for these one-time grants are set at a maximum of $7,500. Recipients are expected to culminate their project in an article written for publication in a scholarly journal or in a completed master's thesis or doctoral dissertation.
Grants were awarded to the following graduate students:
- Matt Choquette, Rutgers: "Manualizing sport psychology services in NCAA Division III athletic departments with organizational support from the institutions' Wellness Center."
- Carmyn Hayes, North Texas: "The experiences of women of color coaches in NCAA athletic departments."
- Harrison Mullen, Boston College: "The closing of an ethical world: Reimagining loss and mourning in athletic retirement."
- Kyle Quagliana and Madeline Rowe, Minnesota: "Taking advantage of one more year: The NCAA graduate transfer student-athlete experience."
- Solomon Siskind, Illinois: "Do we belong here? Examining Black student-athlete affinity groups as spaces for belonging at historically white institutions."
The 2025 NCAA Graduate Student Research Grant call for proposals is expected to be released in February, with proposals due in May.
Members of the external review panel, which selected the grant recipients:
- Panel chair Rebecca Spencer, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, professor of psychological and brain sciences, Massachusetts.
- Sheri Boyle, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, professor of social work, sociology and human services, California (Pennsylvania).
- JoAnne Bullard, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, assistant professor of health promotion and wellness management, Rowan.
- Micah Dobson, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, associate professor of recreation management, Shaw.
- S. Marlon Gayadeen, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, associate professor of criminal justice, Buffalo State.
- Richard Loosbrock, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, professor of history, Adams State.
- Heather Ryan, Ph.D., deputy director of athletics/student-athlete experience and senior woman administrator, Duke.
- Rene Salinas, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, professor of mathematical sciences, Appalachian State University.
- Karen Thompson-Wolfe, Ph.D., faculty athletics representative, assistant dean of first- year experience and learning opportunities, Westminster (Missouri).