Charlotte West is a well-respected athletic administrator and has been an instrumental advocate for women’s sports and a pioneer for Title IX. She served as SIU’s Director of Athletics for Women for nearly 30 years, during which time she led the women’s golf team to a National Championship and women’s basketball to a fifth place finish nationally. She was the first recipient of the Honda Award and the Woman Administrator of the Year, which are both given nationally to women who have achieved great things for women’s athletics.

She’s served on numerous NCAA Committees, and was the Director of National Championships and President of the AIAW, while serving on the US Olympic Committee. She’s been inducted into multiple halls of fame - NACDA, the Missouri Valley Conference, and SIU. For her efforts, SIU named their softball facility after her and a room at NCAA HQ has been named in her honor.