ERIE, PA - Gannon Professor of Sport Management & Marketing Dr. Jinhee Yoo has been selected as the University's recipient of the 2025-26 PSAC L.P. Hill Unity in Sports Award, it was announced by the conference Monday. The award recognizes the contributions of an individual or group on each member campus that, through intercollegiate athletics, epitomizes the promise of Unity, Equity, and Access For All.
Yoo has been a model of consistency for supporting Gannon student & student-athletes during her time at Gannon. She was selected for the honor by going above and beyond her role to provide support, mentorship, and a safe welcoming space for underrepresented students.
"Dr. Yoo is a steadfast supporter of our athletic programs and student-athletes, and an incredible leader on our campus," said Director of Athletics Meghan Morphy. "Whether she is teaching in the classroom or cheering teams on from the stands, connecting her students to meaningful internship opportunities or sharing a meal with them, her commitment to building community and serving as a mentor is unwavering. We are grateful to Dr. Yoo for her long-lasting impact on so many of our student-athletes and congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition."
This is the inaugural year for the L.P. Hill Unity in Sports Award. Each year, the PSAC will recognize the contributions stated above from each of its member campuses.
"It is truly an honor to be recognized as the Gannon recipient of the PSAC's L.P. Hill Award," said Yoo. "Supporting our students and student-athletes is my favorite part of the job. I am grateful to be part of a campus and athletics community that is committed to creating opportunities, fostering inclusion, and supporting one another. This award is a reflection of the collective effort of so many individuals who work every day to ensure that athletics remains a place where everyone belongs and has the opportunity to succeed."
The L.P. Hill Unity in Sports Award is named after Leslie Pinckney Hill, the first President of Cheyney State Teacher's College. From 1913 to 1950, he was the Principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia and oversaw its establishment as Cheyney State Teachers College. The Phi Beta Kappa, Harvard-educated son of a former slave taught at Tuskegee Institute and was a renowned educator, writer, poet, and community leader.
In 1927, a year after the first documents that created the Pennsylvania State Normal School Athletic Association, Mr. Hill argued for the inclusion of Cheyney in the Associations bylaws which had been left out in the initial drafting. The Board of Principals immediately rectified this error, and all 14 state-owned institutions were then included in the Association's initial governing documents.
