INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and Allstate Insurance Company today announced the 20 men's and women's college basketball student-athletes named to the 2014 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams®. In its second year, this preeminent community service honor recognizes college basketball players who have made a commitment to improving their communities and the lives of others.
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The Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® are each comprised of 10 student-athletes; five from the NCAA® Division I and five from NCAA Divisions II, III and the NAIA. A total of 117 NABC nominees and 84 WBCA nominees were submitted by sports information directors across the nation on behalf of their colleges and universities. The final team rosters were chosen by prestigious voting panels comprised of former coaches, student-athletes and media members.
Former Duke University student-athlete, two-time NCAA champion and seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill headlines the Allstate NABC Good Works Team® voting panel. WNBA basketball star Tamika Catchings, who played at the University of Tennessee, serves on the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® panel.
"Allstate is proud to join the NABC and WBCA in recognizing college basketball players whose 'good works' align with our commitment to giving back to the communities where we live and work," 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. "These remarkable student-athletes serve as an inspiration to us all and another reason to celebrate those who contribute to the good in life."
While more often than not it's a player's performance on the court that is recognized, the Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® shine a light on the positive impact these student-athletes have off the court and in their communities. The 20 young men and women named to this year's team demonstrate the unique ability to balance academics with athletics while committing themselves to giving back to others. Among the impressive list of accolades this year's teams boast include lobbying state legislature for new laws that could help save lives, donating tuition money to students in third world countries and dedicating countless hours to mentoring underprivileged children.
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 North Texas, where they will participate in a community service project. 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 benefitting the city. Allstate is also an official corporate partner of the NABC and WBCA.
"The 10 young men selected to the 2014 NABC Good Works Team® amplify the significant contributions of all of the men's basketball student-athletes across America," said NABC Executive Director Jim Haney. "We are proud to partner with Allstate to celebrate them as outstanding role models and for the positive impact they have made in their communities, the nation and the world."
"The WBCA is proud to once again partner with Allstate in recognizing conscientious and caring student-athletes who are making a difference in their respective communities," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "Congratulations to these 10 young women and to the coaches who are privileged to have them on their respective teams."
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).
The following players have been named to the 2014 Allstate NABC Good Works Team®:
NCAA Division I |
||||
Name |
Cl. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
Danny Berger |
Junior |
Forward |
Utah State |
Medford, Ore. |
Aaron Craft |
Senior |
Guard |
Ohio State |
Findlay, Ohio |
Joe Harris |
Senior |
Guard |
Virginia |
Chelan, Wash. |
Dau Jok |
Senior |
Guard |
Pennsylvania |
Des Moines, Iowa |
Jordan Morgan |
Graduate |
Forward |
Michigan |
Detroit, Mich. |
NCAA Divisions II, III and the NAIA |
||||
Name |
Cl. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
Peter Kazickas |
Junior |
Forward |
Hamilton |
Amagansett, N.Y. |
Grant Neil |
Senior |
Forward |
Hope |
Holland, Mich. |
Aaron Patrick |
Senior |
Guard |
Mount Aloysius |
Johnsonburg, Pa. |
Tanner Sutton |
Junior |
Guard |
Columbia (Mo.) |
Harrisonville, Mo. |
Nick LaGuerre |
Junior |
Guard |
St. Mary's of Maryland |
Baltimore, Md. |
The following players have been named to the 2014 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team®:
NCAA Division I |
|||||||
Name |
Cl. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
|||
Kastine Evans |
Senior |
Guard |
Kentucky |
Salem, Conn. |
|||
Alyssa Englert |
Senior |
Guard |
Hartford |
Dansville, N.Y. |
|||
NeTanya Jones |
Senior |
Center |
McNeese State |
Oakdale, La. |
|||
Courtney Moses |
Senior |
Guard |
Purdue |
Sweetser, Ind. |
|||
Shayla Bivins |
Senior |
Center |
Georgia Institute of Technology |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
|||
NCAA Divisions II, III and the NAIA |
|||||||
Name |
Cl. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
|||
Jasmine Brewer |
Senior |
Guard |
Loyola (New Orleans) |
Houston, Texas |
|||
Amy Loya |
Senior |
Guard |
Union |
Bethel, Conn. |
|||
Michel'le St. Pierre |
Senior |
Guard |
Worcester State |
Seekonk, Mass. |
|||
Alexandra Wilkinson |
Senior |
Forward |
Minnesota State (Mankato) |
Blue Mounds, Wis. |
|||
Alexa Baltes |
Senior |
Guard |
Illinois Wesleyan |
St. Charles, Ill. |
|||
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 making 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.
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®." In 2013, $29 million was given by The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners to support local communities. Allstate employees and agency owners donated 200,000 hours of service across the country.
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.
SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company
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