UWI St Augustine’s Nadra Dwarika-Baptiste has been appointed manager of the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) team for the T&T leg of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Four-Day Championship 2024. This is the first time a woman has been appointed manager of a men's team in the 159-year history of West Indies first-class cricket.

Mrs Dwarika-Baptiste, an administrative assistant at the St Augustine Academy of Sport (SAAS), said, “It is absolutely thrilling to be the first woman to hold the position, but I definitely look forward to not being last. The horizon is expanding for women in sport. There are significant opportunities to forge a career path.”

She added, “I am very proud as a staff member of The UWI, whose core values includes gender justice, to achieve this milestone.”

Mrs Dwarika-Baptiste is the manager of The UWI Women’s Cricket Club and the T&T Under-19 Women’s Team. She has a Cricket West Indies (CWI) Level I coaching accreditation, and is a qualified national cricket umpire. “I felt right at home with the male cricketers,” she said of the experience as CCC team manager. “Every player was respectful and highly enthusiastic, and brought their best. It's clear we've got some of the brightest cricket talents right here in the Caribbean."

Dr Anand Rampersad, head of the SAAS, said, “[Her] leadership and dedication have been pivotal in elevating our cricket programme. She knows how to bring out the best in our young cricketers, and her passion and creative approach have been incredible for our academy and for cricket in the Caribbean."

The St Augustine Academy of Sport is part of The UWI’s Faculty of Sport, the university’s first multi-campus faculty. For more information on the faculty and its programmes, visit https://www.uwi.edu/sport/content/home.