PHILADELPHIA, PA. - Women’s tennis senior captain Kelly Dennis (Cincinnati, Ohio), who embodies what it means to be a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) DII student-athlete at Chestnut Hill College, has been selected as one of five finalists for the 10th Annual Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup. Founded by Athletes for a Better World (ABW), a non-profit organization committed to changing the culture of American sports, the Wooden Cup is unique award presented annually to athletes, collegiate and professional, who serve as outstanding role models.
A three-time, All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) performer on the court and through her work with Unified for UNIFAT, a hero to the world around her, Dennis personifies what it means to be a student-athlete at the NCAA Division II level. Extremely active in her community, she is the founder and President of Chestnut Hill College’s Unified for UNIFAT (U4U), a service club that she was first introduced to U4U as a high school student at Mount Notre Dame in Cincinnati, Ohio. U4U seeks to bring aid and awareness, financially and emotionally, to the children of Gulu, Northern Uganda, who have been invisible victims of Joseph Kony’s political upheaval and the Lord's Resistance Army’s (LRA) crimes against humanity.
Upon arrival at Chestnut Hill College, Dennis' efforts at Mount Notre Dame were known; she was identified by faculty members Sister Mindy Welding and Dr. Marie Conn as a student leader who could make an immediate impact on campus. Within two years, with Dennis serving as president, the Chestnut Hill College U4U club has grown to more than 75 members. Thanks to the work of Dennis and her fellow U4U members, the College has raised more than $2,000 for the education of Anena Patience, Olara Douglas, and Fungaroo Moses, while hosting annual Fair Trade events that help support those in need of basic human necessities by returning all sales to the Central American, South American, and African artisans.
Dennis is also a member of Chestnut Hill College's Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), the Serving and Learning Together (SALT) program, the College's Campus Ministry program, as well as countless retreats and service opportunities such as the Shriners, the Chestnut Hill College Empty Bowl Dinner, and TOMS “One Day without Shoes”.
Dennis is Chestnut Hill College tennis’ all-time leader in wins (123-48, .719), responsible for a 58 singles victories (58-25 (.699) overall, 44-20 (.688) @ #2) and 65 doubles wins (65-23 (.739) overall, 41-13 (.759) @ #1). She was the third Griffin to reach the 1,000-career win mark during the 2012-2013 season, which saw her rank as high as #13 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Individual Regional Rankings and the Chestnut Hill College women’s tennis team return to the NCAA DII Regional Tournament a year after representing the College in its first NCAA DII Championship Tournament (2011-2012).
As a freshman, in 2010-2011, Dennis was the recipient of the Chestnut Hill College women’s tennis team’s Coach’s Award and named the ITA East Region Rookie of the Year after posting a 16-5 (.762) individual record at number two singles and teaming for an 18-3 (.857) record at number one doubles. Academically, she has been recognized on the CACC Fall All-Academic Team (2011 & 2012), the Chestnut Hill College Athletics Academic Honor Roll (Fall 2010 – Spring 2013), the ITA All-Academic Team (2010-2011, 2011-2012, & 2012-2013), the NCAA DII Athletic Director’s Association (ADA) Academic Achievers Team (2011-2012 & 2012-2013), and the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Women's Tennis Team (2011-2012, 2012-2013).
This year’s professional recipient will be Drew Brees, the 2009 Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Brees attended Westlake High School, in Austin, Texas, where he led the Chaparrals to a perfect 16-0 record and the 5A State Championship while garnering 5A Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1996. He was a two-time finalist for the Heisman Trophy while attending Purdue University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Industrial Management from the prestigious Krannert School of Management. In 2000, Brees led the Boilermakers to a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl appearance. In that same year he won the Academic All-American Player of the Year award and the Maxwell Award, presented to the nation's top collegiate player. In his professional career, Brees has been elected to seven Pro Bowls while being named 2004 Comeback player of the Year, 2006 All-Pro Team, 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, 2008 and 2011 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and Super Bowl XLIV Champion and Most Valuable Player (MVP).
As much pride as Brees takes in his on-field performance, he takes even more pride in his community service endeavors. Drew and his wife, Brittany, established the Brees Dream Foundation in 2003 and since then have contributed and/or committed over $17,000,000 to help improve the quality of life for cancer patients and provide care, education, and opportunities for children and families in need. In New Orleans, he has become "an athlete as adored and appreciated as any in an American city today." When Sports Illustrated selected him for the 2010 Sportsman of the Year award, it was in large part for his leadership in helping lead the city of New Orleans' rebirth after the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.
As a part of that effort, his Foundation worked to help rebuild, restore, and recreate after-school programs, mentoring programs for the intellectually disabled, neighborhood revitalization projects academic and athletic facilities, parks and playgrounds, and child care facilities in New Orleans. In addition, Drew sponsors the Rebuilding thru Brotherhood program to invite fellow Sigma Chi members to the New Orleans community to build homes with the Habitat for Humanity.
Founded in 1998, ABW exists to change the culture of sport by developing individual character, teamwork, and civic responsibility through commitment to the Code for Living. ABW’s vision is to have the Code become a part of every sport at every level, so that it becomes the common language and standard expectation of behavior for everyone.
ABW provides free support and resources to coaches and athletes across the country who want to teach and live out these values. “The Code for Living” can be found on playing fields, locker rooms and athletic facilities across the country. Currently, ABW players and coaches are represented in every state and several foreign countries.
John Wooden, who won ten national championships during the years 1964--1975 as basketball coach at UCLA is regarded as the greatest college coach of any sport who ever lived. He is universally regarded as one of the finest human beings to ever grace the world of sports, and his character, conduct and selfless gifts stand at the highest level by any standard. When Coach Wooden learned about Athletes for a Better World, he gave authorization to attach his name to this annual award and he attended and addressed the inaugural event in Los Angeles in 2005. In his honor, the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup is presented to two distinguished athletes, one collegiate and one professional, for their character and leadership both on and off the field and for their contributions to sport and society.
Recipients of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup are chosen by a committee chaired by Vincent Dooley, former University of Georgia athletic director, and other distinguished individuals involved in athletics across the country. With Jack Nicklaus, Pat Summitt, Dikembe Mutombo, Mia Hamm, Peyton Manning, John Smoltz, John Lynch, Andrea Yaeger, and Cal Ripken, Jr. as previous recipients, the Wooden Cup is becoming one of the most prestigious awards in all of sports. In addition to Dennis, the 2014 Collegiate Wooden Cup finalists include Ohio State University’s Aaron Craft (Men’s Basketball), the University of Pennsylvania’s Dau Jok (Men’s Basketball), the College of the Holy Cross’ Jeffrey Rappucci (Men’s Hockey) and the University of Notre Dame’s Elizabeth Tucker (Women’s Soccer).
The award recipient will be announced on April 22, 2014, in a ceremony at the Atlanta History Center.
