McCray selected to 2010 NCAA Future Coaches Academy

INDIANAPOLIS - Salisbury University assistant football coach Jacquis McCray has been selected as one of 30 former football student-athletes invited to the 2010 NCAA Future Coaches Academy in Orlando, Fla. from Jan. 10-12. The event is held in conjunction with the American Football Coaches Association Convention.

As a participant of the Future Coaches Academy, McCray will gain insight into academic issues, building successful football programs, career opportunities, communication techniques, diversity and inclusion, lifestyle balance, management and fiscal responsibilities, NCAA compliance considerations, and the preparation of student-athletes for overall academic and athletic achievement.

McCray and the other 29 participants were chosen by a committee of athletic administrators, AFCA members and former college coaches. McCray is one of seven student-athletes associated with a Division III program. There are 13 Division I participants, eight Division I-Football Championship Series participants and two Division II participants.

The Silver Spring, Md., native played for Salisbury as a linebacker from 2002-2005 and led the team in tackles his senior year with 65. McCray currently resides in Salisbury, Md.

Although the program focuses on ethnic minorities due to their low numbers in the coaching ranks of all three NCAA divisions, the academies are open to all football coaches. In addition to the Future Coaches Academy, the NCAA also offers the Coaches Academy, which is aimed at coaches with three to eight years of experience, and the Expert Coaches Forum for coaches with eight or more years of experience. The top-tier program, the Champions Forum, directly links coaches with key athletics directors who offer more detailed insight into the hiring process, provide career guidance and serve as a "champion" for the coaches when head coaching positions become available.  

Of the 582 NCAA football programs (excluding historically black colleges and universities), 26 are guided by ethnic minorities, including 14 in the Football Bowl Subdivision, seven in the Football Championship Subdivision, two in Division II and three in Division III.