Buckel to Receive Lee McKinney Service Award

Maria Buckel is the 2023 recipient of the Lee McKinney Distinguished Service Award. Buckel will be honored by the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with the presentation of the award at the annual awards banquet. The award is presented to an individual that has served or competed in the SLIAC and best exemplifies the qualities of leadership, dedication, service, and perseverance displayed by longtime Fontbonne University Director of Athletics, Lee McKinney.

Buckel, a former Fontbonne University Director of Athletics in her own right, served in that role for 12 years and eventually rose to Vice President of Athletics before departing the school in December of 2022. In her time Buckel served on various committees within the conference and NCAA, displaying a passion and motivation to continue to elevate the conference. 

Fontbonne saw increased staffing under her tenure, going from two full-time coaches to ten, adding a full-time sports information director position, and also adding an additional full-time athletic trainer. Facilities on campus also saw significant improvements including a new scoreboard, athletic banners, refurbishment of the weight room, and cosmetic improvements to the Dunham Student Activity Center. The athletic department also added several sports programs during her tenure including cheer, wrestling, and sprint football; nearly doubling the student-athlete population. 

The successor to McKinney in the athletic director role, Buckel personally knew McKinney during her time as a student-athlete at Fontbonne University. Buckel was a two-sport athlete, basketball and volleyball, at Fontbonne and received her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Fontbonne in 2006. 

Lee McKinney served as Director of Athletics at Fontbonne University for 23 years, growing the athletics program from three teams to 19 at the time of his retirement. He was instrumental in the formation of the SLIAC bringing together local institutions and leading Fontbonne as a charter member in 1989. During his years of service to the SLIAC, McKinney chaired the Administrative Council and represented the conference on various national committees. He was inducted into the Missouri Hall of Fame in 1992, the Fontbonne University Hall of Fame in 2000, and the SLIAC Hall of Fame in 2011.

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