ATLANTA -- Illinois football center Joe Spencer was announced as the 2017 Coach Wooden Citizen Cup recipient, an award given to the most outstanding role model among athletes, Athletes for a Better World announced at its award banquet Tuesday.
The award, named after famed UCLA men's basketball coach John Wooden, is given to one college, professional and high school athlete (or athletic figure) per year for character and leadership both on and off the field and for contributions to sport and society. Athletes for a Better World presented the Wooden Cup for the 13th year.
The Wooden Cup is becoming one of the most prestigious awards in all of sports. Previous professional recipients include Jack Nicklaus, Pat Summitt, Dikembe Mutombo, Drew Brees, Mia Hamm, Peyton Manning, John Smoltz, John Lynch, Andrea Yaeger, Shannon Miller and Cal Ripken, Jr. Recipients of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup are determined by the Wooden Cup Selection Committee after reviewing voting by the Board of Directors and over 100 distinguished individuals involved in athletics across the country.
Spencer's work in the community and the classroom has been incredible during his four years in Champaign. The 2016 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honorees' long list of community involvement includes serving as president of Illinois' Uplifting Athletes chapter, president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, raising nearly $40,000 for charity in two years by organizing the Illini's "Lift for Life," helping organize Illinois' student-athlete variety show that has raised over $80,000 in the last five years, being a "Big" at the local Big Brothers Big Sisters, spearheading the Leadership Summit for local middle school students, volunteering at the Special Olympics, and visiting nearly every elementary school in Champaign-Urbana.
Spencer was a team captain for the 2016 Illini football team and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention honors by the media. He started 37 games during his Illinois career, including 11 this season. Spencer is enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Illinois after earning a bachelor's degree in finance in May 2016.
The Wooden Cup is unique in that it is open to athletes in all collegiate and Olympic or professional sports and, for the first time this year, to high school athletes. Nominations are open to every division and conference in college sports and to athletes in public and private high schools across the country in a new partnership with the National Association of High School Athletic Administrators.
Finalists for the collegiate division included:
• Joe Spencer, University of Illinois, Football
• Melissa Berkay, Mills College, Swimming
• Oren Burks, Vanderbilt University, Football
• Tori Doss, Xavier University, Soccer
Professional recipient: Dick Vitale (ESPN)
High school recipients: Erin Houchins (Bowling Green, Kentucky) and Ian Saum (Casselton, North Dakota)
For more information on the finalists and recipients, visit www.abw.org/news/.
The award, named after famed UCLA men's basketball coach John Wooden, is given to one college, professional and high school athlete (or athletic figure) per year for character and leadership both on and off the field and for contributions to sport and society. Athletes for a Better World presented the Wooden Cup for the 13th year.
The Wooden Cup is becoming one of the most prestigious awards in all of sports. Previous professional recipients include Jack Nicklaus, Pat Summitt, Dikembe Mutombo, Drew Brees, Mia Hamm, Peyton Manning, John Smoltz, John Lynch, Andrea Yaeger, Shannon Miller and Cal Ripken, Jr. Recipients of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup are determined by the Wooden Cup Selection Committee after reviewing voting by the Board of Directors and over 100 distinguished individuals involved in athletics across the country.
Spencer's work in the community and the classroom has been incredible during his four years in Champaign. The 2016 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honorees' long list of community involvement includes serving as president of Illinois' Uplifting Athletes chapter, president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, raising nearly $40,000 for charity in two years by organizing the Illini's "Lift for Life," helping organize Illinois' student-athlete variety show that has raised over $80,000 in the last five years, being a "Big" at the local Big Brothers Big Sisters, spearheading the Leadership Summit for local middle school students, volunteering at the Special Olympics, and visiting nearly every elementary school in Champaign-Urbana.
Spencer was a team captain for the 2016 Illini football team and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention honors by the media. He started 37 games during his Illinois career, including 11 this season. Spencer is enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Illinois after earning a bachelor's degree in finance in May 2016.
The Wooden Cup is unique in that it is open to athletes in all collegiate and Olympic or professional sports and, for the first time this year, to high school athletes. Nominations are open to every division and conference in college sports and to athletes in public and private high schools across the country in a new partnership with the National Association of High School Athletic Administrators.
Finalists for the collegiate division included:
• Joe Spencer, University of Illinois, Football
• Melissa Berkay, Mills College, Swimming
• Oren Burks, Vanderbilt University, Football
• Tori Doss, Xavier University, Soccer
Professional recipient: Dick Vitale (ESPN)
High school recipients: Erin Houchins (Bowling Green, Kentucky) and Ian Saum (Casselton, North Dakota)
For more information on the finalists and recipients, visit www.abw.org/news/.
