ST. PAUL, Minn.— The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced the selection of Barb Leopold from Martin Luther College as the inaugural recipient of the Jim Unke Legacy Award Friday.
This annual award will recognize an individual who has made significant contributions to the UMAC in the previous year and/or an individual who has significantly advanced the mission of the conference at some point in the conference’s history. The UMAC Legacy Award will serve as a living tribute to Unke’s commitment to service, which is at the core of who he was. Unke gave selflessly to the conference and its mission for many years, and this award will honor individuals who embody that same spirit of leadership, service, and dedication to the UMAC.
Leopold served as the official UMAC Secretary and Treasurer, holding both positions for the conference from 1996 to 2008, in addition to her roles at Dr. Martin Luther College which later became Martin Luther College. In her role as UMAC Secretary, Leopold crafted all the formal meeting minutes and annual reports, completed and submitted any required reporting to local, regional and national groups on behalf of the conference, and had oversight of the awards programs for all conference sports. As the UMAC Treasurer, she managed the conference’s finances and handled all accounting-related needs as the league continued to evolve during this timeframe.
Current UMAC Commissioner Corey Borchardt, who served as the league’s first Sports Information Director and worked alongside Barb Leopold for over five years as both shared conference duties, stated “While Barb was typically not at the front of the room or leading conference meetings, her contributions and impact on the development of the UMAC cannot be understated. She worked tirelessly and diligently for the conference in her different roles and provided incredible administrative support for the UMAC at a critical chapter in the history of our conference. The Jim Unke Legacy Award is intended to recognize great service to the conference and Barb is beyond fitting to be the inaugural award winner as she lived a lifestyle that embodied service in many ways.”
The 1974 DMLC graduate spent all 40 years of her teaching career in New Ulm, Minn. at DMLC/MLC. During her tenure, Leopold coached softball, cross country, women's basketball, and volleyball and also served as the school's assistant athletic director for 35 years. She provided administrative and leadership support for Jim Unke, who served as the athletic director at Martin Luther College for 25 years from 1997-2022 and also as the Knights' head men's basketball coach for 19 seasons from 1997-2016. Jim was an instrumental leader in the UMAC, serving as the league's first commissioner prior to the conference becoming an NCAA Division III member conference in 2008.
Leopold is best known for her 37 years as the head softball coach on campus. She finished her career with 419 wins and was named UMAC Coach of the Year on three separate occasions. She retired from teaching and coaching at MLC after 40 years of service in 2014.
“As a coach, assistant athletic director, and Jim Unke's right-hand person, Barb spent numerous hours doing things to make sure the UMAC got off the ground and was involved in decisions that impacted women's athletics in the UMAC,” said her nominator.
Leopold will be presented with the Jim Unke Legacy Award at the UMAC awards dinner and ceremony on Tuesday, March 24.