(Story courtesy of the Austin College website)
SHERMAN, Texas -- After nearly 6,000 votes rolled
in from all around the country, Austin College was named the winner
of the NCAA Division III Special Olympics Spotlight Poll for the
month of February. Austin College received 3,102 votes for a total
of 52% of the vote, with the next closest school earning just 40%
of the vote to make it a decisive win.
Dozens of members of the Austin College community, including members of the Service Station as well as student-athletes, volunteered for the winning event in late January. The event brought more than a hundred kids from all around Texoma to Hughey and Sid Richardson Gymnasiums in the Mason Complex to compete in a series of basketball skills events. The event organizer was Katy Williams, a 2010 graduate of Austin College and former All-America basketball player for the ‘Roos who now works with Special Olympics Texas.
The event was conducted in conjunction with the Austin College JanServe, which takes place during JanTerm. Over the last several years, JanServe has become a yearly partnership with the Sherman Independent School District and has typically connected Austin College students with area youths to work with them on reading, science, and other academic areas. This year, however, the decision was made to incorporate the SISD Special Education department to host their Special Olympics basketball tournament.
Williams, SISD Partners in Education physical education coordinator Danna Percell and Service Station director Nancy Morgan worked with Austin College athletics director David Norman and men’s basketball coach Rodney Wecker to secure the use of Hughey and Sid Richardson. In addition to the volunteers who helped make the event possible, the Austin College Student Life division provided numerous giveaway items including mini-basketballs and ‘Roo pom-poms.
“We are thrilled to be the winners in this competition,” said Morgan. “What made our event so outstanding was the partnership between the Service Station, SISD, the athletics department, and our Austin College alumnus.”
By winning the NCAA Division III Special Olympics Spotlight Poll, Austin College will receive $500 toward the next Special Olympics event it hosts this spring, along with recognition in the Division III Monthly Update and on the Division III Special Olympics website. Each month three schools are selected for the poll for their outstanding service work with Special Olympics, with the featured stories being selected based on inclusion of the student-athlete perspective and Division III messaging.
“At the conclusion of JanServe, all of the people involved expressed a desire to have the tournament again next year, so the money that was won will be well spent,” said Morgan.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
