Jackson State University Athletics won the C.D. Henry Award as the best men's athletics program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference for the 2022-23 season.

It is the first time JSU Athletics has won the award since the 2010-11 season, as the Tigers become the first conference team to win the award with only seven sports, one less than the eight men's sports the SWAC sponsors.

For the second straight year, JSU Athletics finished second in the Commissioner's Cup standings for the James Frank Award as the best all-around athletics program in the conference. The Jackson State women's programs combined for a fourth-place finish for the Sadie Magee / Barbara Jacket Award which recognizes the top women's program in the SWAC.

The C.D. Henry Award will be officially presented at Southwestern Athletic Conference meetings in June.

"I am extremely proud of our student-athletes for what they accomplished in competition this season," said Jackson State Vice President / Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson. "They again represented Tiger Nation with pride and respect as they continued to Build on Tradition, while at the same time showing strength and character to Blaze New Trails of their own. It is an honor to be their athletic director as we continue to strive for greatness in every aspect of our program."

This past season, JSU men's programs won SWAC Championships in cross country and football, posted second-place finishes in indoor track and men's tennis, and third-place finishes in men's basketball and men's outdoor track to highlight the season. The cross country and football programs each won their second consecutive championships in Fall 2022.

The Lady Tigers won SWAC Championships in soccer and women's basketball, finished second in women's tennis, and fourth in volleyball and outdoor track to highlight the season. It was the first regular season soccer title since 2011, and the fourth consecutive regular season title for women's basketball. 

The C.D. Henry Award is named for the former Grambling State chairman of the College of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department from 1958-74, as well as serving as the executive officer and secretary-statistician for the SWAC in 1968-73. Henry became the first African American assistant commissioner of any conference office when he joined the Big Ten Conference in June of 1974.

The Commissioner's Cup, named for former league commissioner James Frank who led the SWAC from 1983 through 1998, is awarded to the university compiling the highest combined total of men's and women's all-sport points. He returned to the position as Interim Commissioner in April 2001, where he served for 20 months.

The Magee/Jacket Award is named after former Jackson State women's basketball coach Sadie Magee and former Prairie View A&M track and field coach Barbara Jacket. Magee was the first women's basketball coach at Jackson State, compiling four SWAC regular season titles and three straight National Association of Women's Sports National Championships from 1978-1980.

Jacket led the Prairie View A&M to eight cross country, nine indoor and five outdoor SWAC titles from 1965 to 1991. She was also the head coach of the 1992 U.S. Women's Olympic Track team that brought home four gold medals, three silver medals and three bronze medals from Barcelona, Spain.

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