INDIANAPOLIS – Dec. 3, 2013 – The
National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), the
Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and Allstate
Insurance Company today announced the 201 nominees for the 2014
Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams®. The award recognizes
a select group of college basketball student-athletes who have made
significant contributions to the greater good of their communities
through volunteerism and civic service.
In its second year, the Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works
Teams® honor players at all levels of college basketball who
represent the sport’s finest in the areas of leadership and
charitable achievements amongst their peers. The student-athletes
nominated for this prestigious award embody the true spirit of
teamwork and giving back.
“Allstate is proud to recognize these two outstanding groups
of men and women whose commitment to service and volunteerism
demonstrate that ‘good works’ extend beyond the
basketball court,” said Pam Hollander, senior director of
marketing for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2014
NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® selection panels. “Each
of the nominees serves as a role model and inspiration to future
generations seeking ways to give back, and another reason to
celebrate the good happening in our communities.”
While jump shots and rebounds earn recognition on the hardwood, the
Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® help tell the stories
of good taking place off the court that often go unnoticed. It is
those players who demonstrate the exceptional ability to balance
academics with athletics while donating their limited free time to
serving others who have been nominated by their respective colleges
and universities for this prestigious honor.
The 2014 nominees uphold impressive service resumes detailing
unique and inspiring stories of servitude. From volunteering with
sick and underprivileged children to lobbying state legislature for
new laws that could help save lives, this exceptional group of
young men and women demonstrate the positive impact
student-athletes can have on and off the court.
From the 117 NABC nominees and 84 WBCA nominees submitted by sports
information directors across the nation on behalf of their schools,
special voting panels will select two 10-member teams comprised of
five student-athletes from the NCAA® Division I level and five
student-athletes from NCAA® Divisions II, III and the NAIA.
Former Duke University student-athlete, two-time NCAA champion and
seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill will headline the Allstate NABC
Good Works Team® voting panel, while WNBA basketball star
Tamika Catchings, who played at the University of Tennessee, will
serve on the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® panel. The final
roster of 20 award recipients will be unveiled in February.
“The WBCA is honored to partner with Allstate in selecting
the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® for the second year,”
said Beth Bass chief executive officer of the WBCA. “Each of
the 84 young women who have been nominated by their respective head
coaches for this prestigious honor have set examples that we all
should follow. The selection committee will have a difficult time
in selecting the 10-member team from this outstanding group of
nominees.”
Members of the Allstate NABC Good Works Team® will be invited
by Allstate, an official corporate partner of the NCAA®, to the
2014 NABC Convention and 2014 NCAA® Men’s Final Four®
in Dallas, where they will participate in a community project in
the city. Members of the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® will be
recognized during the 2014 WBCA Convention and at the 2014
NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in Nashville, and will also
participate in a local community project. Allstate is an official
corporate partner of the NABC, WBCA and NCAA.
“The partnership of the NABC and Allstate provides an
outstanding opportunity to recognize 117 men’s college
basketball players who have been nominated for the 2014 Allstate
NABC Good Works Team®,” said NABC Executive Director Jim
Haney. “The contributions they have made locally, nationally
and globally are uplifting and demonstrate their great compassion,
spirit and determination.”
In addition to Hollander, Hill and Catchings, the 2014 Allstate
NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® selection panel members
include: former college basketball players Greg Anthony (UNLV),
Mateen Cleaves (Michigan State) and Alana Beard (Duke); former head
coaches Bobby Cremins (College of Charleston), Seth Greenberg
(Virginia Tech), Marsha Sharp (Texas Tech) and Nell Fortner
(Auburn); current college basketball coach Coquese Washington (Penn
State); and media members Seth Davis (Sports Illustrated/CBS), Dana
O’Neil (ESPN), Carolyn Peck (ESPN) and LaChina Robinson
(ESPN/FOX).
Since 2008, Allstate has partnered with the American Football
Coaches Association (AFCA) as sponsor of the Allstate AFCA Good
Works Team®, which shines a spotlight on the positive,
off-the-field impact college football student-athletes have on
their communities. Through an arrangement with the AFCA, NABC and
WBCA, Allstate is able to expand the Good Works Team® to also
recognize college basketball student-athletes at all levels who
donate their time and effort to make a difference off the
court.
More information about the Allstate NABC Good Works Team® and
the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® is available at www.nabc.org
and www.wbca.org.
The following players have been nominated for consideration to be
named to the 2014 Allstate NABC Good Works Team®:
NCAA® Division I
Appalachian State University – Michael Obacha; Arizona State
University – Dave Whitmore; Boston College – Ryan
Anderson; Brigham Young University – Tyler Haws; Brown
University – Rafael Maia; Butler University – Erik
Fromm; Central Michigan University – Chris Fowler; Cleveland
State University – Ludovic Ndaye; College of Charleston
– Willis Hall; College of William and Mary – Tim
Rusthoven; Creighton University – Ethan Wragge; Eastern
Kentucky University – Deverin Muff; Florida State University
– Okaro White; George Washington University – John
Kopriva; Georgia State University – R.J. Hunter; Gonzaga
University – Drew Barham; Hampton University – Deron
Powers; Illinois State University – Nick Zeisloft; Indiana
State University – Lucas Eitel; Iowa State University –
Melvin Ejim; Kansas State University – Will Spradling; Mercer
University – Langston Hall; New Mexico State University
– Kevin Aronis; North Carolina State University – Tyler
Lewis; Northwestern State University – Gary Stewart;
Northwestern University – Drew Crawford; Oakland University
– Travis Bader; Ohio State University – Aaron Craft;
Ohio University – Nick Kellogg; Quinnipiac University –
Ousmane Drame; Rice University – Austin Ramljak; Rider
University – Emerson Bursis; Saint Joseph’s University
– Chris Wilson; Saint Louis University – Jake Barnett;
Seattle University – Jarell Flora; Seton Hall University
– Patrik Auda; Southern Methodist University – Shawn
Williams; South Dakota State University – Marcus Heemstra;
St. John’s University (N.Y.) – God’sgift Achiuwa;
Stephen F. Austin State University – Desmond Haymon;Tennessee
State University – Patrick Miller; Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi – Jake Kocher; The Citadel – Dylen Setzekorn;
Towson University – Timajh Parker-Rivera; Troy University
– Jeffrey Mullahey; U.S. Military Academy (Army) –
Maxwell Lenox; University of Alabama at Birmingham – Jordan
Swing; University of North Carolina-Wilmington – Tanner
Milson; University at Albany – David Wiegmann; University of
Arizona – Nick Johnson; University of Arkansas – Kikko
Haydar; University of Detroit Mercy – Evan Bruinsma;
University of Florida – Patric Young; University of Houston
– Mikhail McLean; University of Kansas – Perry Ellis;
University of Kentucky – Jarrod Polson; University of
Maryland Eastern Shore – Ishaq Pitt; University of
Massachusetts – Trey Davis; University of Memphis – Joe
Jackson; University of Michigan – Jordan Morgan; University
of Notre Dame – Tom Knight; University of Pennsylvania
– Dau Jok; University of Pittsburgh – James Robinson;
University of Tennessee, Knoxville – D’Montre Edwards;
University of Texas – Javan Felix; University of the Pacific
– Trevin Harris; University of Tulsa – Nick Wood;
University of Vermont – Luke Apfeld; University of Virginia
– Joe Harris; Utah State University – Danny Berger;
Wake Forest University – Aaron Rountree III; West Virginia
University – Kevin Noreen; University of Wisconsin –
Zach Bohannon; Youngstown State University – Mike
Podolsky.
NCAA® Division II, III and NAIA
Albion College – Zach Hurth; Anderson University (S.C.)
– Chandler Hash; Bard College – Patrick Lichtenstein;
Bethel University – Caleb Hardy; Bluefield State College
– Avery Holliday; Central Washington University – Joey
Roppo; Coker College – Eren Moses; Colorado College –
James Lonergan; Columbia (Mo.) College – Tanner Sutton;
Dominican University of California – Connor Haysbert; East
Central University – Miles Mitchell; Eckerd College –
Alex Bodney; Felician College – Anthony Obery; Franklin &
Marshall College – Ed Early; Hamilton College – Peter
Kazickas; Hope College – Grant Neil; Illinois Wesleyan
University – Nick Anderson; Kalamazoo College – Grant
Carey; Kenyon College – Dan Giguere; LaGrange College –
Jalen Butler; Lake Superior State University – Cameron Metz;
Loyola University New Orleans – Cameron Hill; Montana State
University-Northern – Patrick Jensen; Mount Aloysius College
– Aaron Patrick; Newberry College – Brunes Charles;
Oklahoma Baptist University – Cale Jackson; Penn State
Altoona – Michael Wigfield; Pittsburg State University
– Jake Bullard; Saint Augustine’s University –
Joel Kindred; Saint John’s University (Minn.) – Jack
Wittenborg; Saint Xavier University – Brad Karp; South Dakota
School of Mines – Lance Kilburn; Southwest Baptist University
– Preston Guiot; Southwestern College – Tyler Shirley;
St. Mary’s College of Maryland – Nick LaGuerre; Union
University (Tenn.) – Paul Valdor; University of Mary
Washington – Taylor Johnson; University of Mobile –
Cody Scott; University of North Alabama – Wes Long;
University of Pikeville – Justice Elisha; University of the
Ozarks – Andrew Cummings; University of West Alabama –
Kyle Belcher; Westminster College – Paul Carswell.
The following players have been nominated for consideration to be
named to the 2014 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team®:
NCAA® Division I
College of The Holy Cross – Alex Smith; East Carolina
University – Ariana Jackson; Florida Gulf Coast University
– Sarah Hansen; Florida State University – Natasha
Howard; Fordham University – Abigail Corning; Furman
University – Brigid Morrissey; Georgia Institute of
Technology – Shayla Bivins; Harvard University –
Kaitlyn Dinkins; Iowa State University – Hallie
Christofferson; Kansas State University – Chantay Caron;
Louisiana State University – Theresa Plaisance; McNeese State
University – NeTanya Jones; Middle Tennessee State University
– Janiece Johnson; Montana State University-Bozeman –
Jackie Elliott; Norfolk State University – Jazamine Gray;
North Carolina A&T State University – Tracy King;
Northwestern University – Meghan McKeown; Purdue University
– Courtney Moses; Rice University – Nakachi Maduka;
Seattle University – Kacie Sowell; Southern Illinois
University at Carbondale – Jordyn Courier; Stanford
University – Chiney Ogwumike; Stephen F. Austin State
University – Daylyn Harris; Texas A&M University –
Karla Gilbert; University of Akron – Rachel Tecca; University
of Alabama – Nikki Hegstetter; University of
California-Berkeley – Avigiel Cohen; University of Delaware
– Kelsey Buchanan; University of Denver – Theresa
Wirth; University of Hartford – Alyssa Englert; University of
Hawaii – Kamilah Jackson; University of Illinois –
Sarah Hartwell; University of Iowa – Kathryn Reynolds;
University of Kentucky – Kastine Evans; University of
Louisville – Jude Schimmel; University of Maine –
Elizabeth Wood; University of Massachusetts – Jasmine Harris;
University of Miami – Maria Brown; University of
Missouri-Kansas City – Eilise O’Connor; University of
New Hampshire – Kelsey Hogan; University of New Mexico
– Sara Halasz; University of North Dakota – Allyssa
Wall; University of South Carolina – Elem Ibiam; University
of Southern California – Cassie Harberts; University of
Southern Mississippi – Niesha Pierce; University of Tennessee
at Martin – Heather Butler; University of Virginia –
Lexie Gerson; University of Wisconsin – Morgan Paige; West
Virginia University – Jessica Harlee; Western Kentucky
University – Chaney Means; Winthrop University – Taylor
Calvert; Youngstown State University – Heidi Schlegel.
NCAA® Division II, III and NAIA
Central Washington University – Jessica VanDyke; Davenport
University – Alison Bouman; Dillard University – Amber
Tramel; Gannon University – Jen Papich; Geneva College
– Heidi Mann; Georgia College & State University –
Shanteona Keys; Hillsdale College – Megan Fogt; Illinois
Wesleyan University – Alexa Baltes; Loyola University –
Jasmine Brewer; Marymount University – Katelyn Fischer;
Metropolitan State University of Denver – Amy Nelson;
Minnesota State University-Mankato – Alexandra Wilkinson;
Montana State University-Northern – Taylor Cummings; Moravian
College – Laura Jordan; Nova Southeastern University –
Jessica Valley; Ohio Dominican University – Christina
Pentaudi; Oklahoma Wesleyan University – Courtney Backward;
Quincy University – Lucy Cramsey; Roosevelt University
– Rebecca Williford; Saint Cloud State University –
Carley Jeffery; St. Mary’s University – Dezirae Elias;
Trinity University (Texas) – Hannah Coley; Union College
– Amy Loya; University of Alabama-Huntsville – Shannon
Steinert; University of Mary Washington – Sam Partonen;
University of St. Francis – Paige Stankus; Valley City State
University – Brittany Lehner; Warner Pacific College –
Jessica Thoens; Washington University in St. Louis – Lucy
Montgomery; Westminster College (Mo.) – Leigh Ann Lutz;
Wingate University – Jasmine DeBerry; Worcester State
University – Michel’le St. Pierre.
About the National Association of Basketball
Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by
Forrest “Phog” Allen, the legendary basketball coach at
the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the
inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective
group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has
nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college
men’s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are
expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game
by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of
basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic
lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of
being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and
education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and
membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.
About the Women’s Basketball Coaches
Association
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association
promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to
develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and
promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls.
For more information on the WBCA, please visit www.WBCA.org.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) ) is the
nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer,
serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate,
Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate
Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products
(auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through
Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive
financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800
Allstate®, and are widely known through the slogan
“You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®.” As
part of Allstate’s commitment to strengthen local
communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency
owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to
thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across
the United States.
About AFCA
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000
members around the world ranging from the high school level to the
professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was
formed, in part, to “maintain the highest possible standards
in football and in the coaching profession” and to
“provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters
pertaining to football.”
NCAA, Final Four and Women’s Final Four are trademarks of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association.