Dec. 3, 2014
- VIDEO: Montminy Earns Scholarship
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INDIANAPOLIS - Kevin Montminy, a senior on the Penn State men's basketball team, has been selected as a nominee for the 2015 Allstate NABC and Good Works Team®, announced today by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and Allstate Insurance Company
There are 251 candidates among the men's and women's nominees.
This community service award recognizes a distinguished group of student-athletes who have demonstrated a commitment to enriching the lives of others and contributing to the greater good in their communities.
Montminy, a three-year walk-on turned scholarship recipient this season, is currently the president of the Coaches vs. Cancer student chapter at Penn State and volunteers with Athletes Take Action, teaching anti-bullying lessons at local middle schools each month in order to prevent and stop bullying.
As the basketball team's representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Board, the Penns Valley product helped create and prepare holiday and monthly gifts for THON families including a variety of basketball items and a scrapbook, as well as coordinating the team's responsibilities for athlete hour and pep rally for THON 2014.
Further support of THON, which is the largest student-run philanthropic project in the world, came with taking part in mini-THON the past two years at a local middle school by bringing pizza and food while also playing games and doing activities with the kids. Montminy also shaved his head as part of the "No Hair, Don't Care" campaign.
Additionally, with a 4.0 grade-point average in each of the last five semesters, Montminy is a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten honoree and the team's Academic Award recipient. He is a part of the Schreyer Honors College and the Smeal College of Business' MAAC program, earning a bachelor's degree in finance and a master's in accounting.
College sports information directors and basketball coaches across the country nominated players who exhibit exceptional leadership skills and an unwavering commitment to volunteerism. From the 158 NABC nominees and 93 WBCA nominees, distinguished 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. The final roster of 20 award recipients will be unveiled in February.
"The accomplishments of student-athletes extend far beyond successes achieved on the court, and Allstate is proud to recognize this exceptional group of young men and women for the positive impact they are making in their communities," said Pam Hollander, vice president of marketing for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2015 NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® selection panels. "Their stories of powerful and selfless acts, shared by SIDs and coaches across the nation, represent the best of collegiate student-athletes and serve as an inspiration to us all.
For the third year, the Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® help spotlight the off-the-court good works and service to others that often goes unnoticed and unrewarded. From creating organizations benefitting at-risk youth to volunteering overseas to help impoverished communities, there are countless remarkable stories of service among this year's group of nominees. As full-time students and athletes, these players choose to dedicate their limited free time to improving the lives of those around them.
"The Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® is a prominent award that honors those student-athletes who serve the community," said Danielle Donehew, executive director of the WBCA. "We celebrate the commitment these 93 nominees have made to their respective communities and we are grateful to Allstate for recognizing these individuals for their exceptional efforts."
Members of the Allstate NABC Good Works Team® will be invited by Allstate, an official corporate partner of the NCAA, to the 2015 NABC Convention and 2015 NCAA Men's Final Four® in Indianapolis, where they will participate in a community project benefitting the host city. Members of the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® will be recognized during the 2015 WBCA Convention and at the 2015 NCAA Women's Final Four® in Tampa Bay, and will also participate in a local community project. Allstate is an official corporate partner of the NABC, WBCA and NCAA.
"In this third year of the Allstate NABC Good Works Team® program, we had an overwhelming response with 158 nominations for 2015," said NABC Executive Director Jim Haney. "There are so many young men and women in college basketball today who make extraordinary and selfless contributions locally, nationally and globally. This is a tremendous opportunity to not only recognize the best of the best but honor all of these student-athletes for their achievements away from the court."
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. In addition to Hollander, Hill and Catchings, the 2015 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® selection panel members include: former college basketball student-athletes 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 worked 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 has been 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.