The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Board of Directors has selected Peggy Davis as the posthumous recipient of the 2025 Jimmy Jenkins Legacy Award. The award recognizes individuals who create environments that promote athletic and academic excellence through educational opportunities, community engagement and a focus on the personal growth, mental wellness and development of student-athletes.

Davis, who died Oct. 16, leaves behind a legacy of dedication to Virginia State University and the CIAA. She served for 27 years at VSU, where she was head women’s basketball coach, associate vice president of intercollegiate athletics and the first female interim commissioner of the CIAA.

As a recipient of the Jimmy Jenkins Legacy Award, Davis will automatically be inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class. The Hall of Fame ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2025, at the Baltimore Convention Center during the 2025 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament.

Davis began her tenure at VSU in 1997 as head coach of the women’s basketball team. In 2003, she was promoted to athletic director and later associate vice president of intercollegiate athletics, overseeing the division for more than two decades.

Under her leadership, VSU saw substantial improvements in athletic facilities, including the $84 million Multi-Purpose Center, which opened in 2016, and renovations to Rogers Stadium.

Her tenure was marked by a commitment to excellence, which led to 26 CIAA championship titles and 20 NCAA Division II tournament appearances. Davis played a key role in leading VSU to numerous honors, including nine C.H. Williams All-Sports Awards (men) and six Lauretta Taylor All-Sports Awards (women), accolades given to the top CIAA board selects Davis for Jimmy Jenkins Legacy Award athletic programs in the CIAA.

Davis was also recognized for her work ethic and dedication to her student-athletes. Her efforts earned her numerous accolades, including the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association Distinguished Service Award and recognition as CIAA Director of the Year seven times.

Davis is also remembered for her advocacy for balancing academics with athletics.

The Jimmy Jenkins Legacy Award is named in honor of Jimmy Jenkins, who served as president of Livingstone College for 16 years. Davis is the third recipient of the award, following William R. Harvey of Hampton University (2023) and Jenkins himself, who was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in 2022.