the V Foundation Comeback Award
Award presented by The V Foundation for Cancer Research and ESPN
Cary, NC — The V Foundation for Cancer Research today announced the finalists for the fourth annual V Foundation Comeback Award. The award is presented in partnership with ESPN and will be announced during ESPN’s basketball Final Four/NIT weekend coverage.
The finalists are: Delvar Barrett, Ohio University; Darrahyl Brown, Kalamazoo Valley Community College; Noah Brown, Appalachian State University; Jamie Carey, University of Texas; Martha Chaput, Drake University; Dax Crum, Arizona Western College; Grant Dykstra, Western Washington University; Brandon Jones, Franklin & Marshall College; Brittney Kroon, Seattle Pacific University; Michael Lovern, St. Mary’s College of Maryland; Lindsay Meek, Baldwin-Wallace College; Brendon Merritt, Eastern Washington University; Ryan Odaffer, Pittsburg State University; Charles Tatum, University of Arkansas.
Meek returned to the basketball court in 2002-2003 after taking several years off from school and sports, facing the challenge of dealing with the death of her twin sister from cancer. At age 28 and married, she enrolled in B-W to finish the collegiate experience she began 10 years ago. Meek played through most of her first season back with a torn ACL. As a senior in 2003-2004, Meek played in all 27 games, including 11 as a starter, and helped the Yellow Jackets to an Ohio Athletic Conference regular season title and a national ranking while pursuing her dream to become a teacher and a coach
The award is given annually to a collegiate level basketball student-athlete, male or female, who has accomplished a personal triumph in the face of true adversity, be it in health, life, or moral dilemma.
The award is presented in memory of Jim Valvano, late basketball coach and ESPN commentator, whose personal battle with cancer inspired the creation of The V Foundation. In his memorable speech at ESPN’s inaugural ESPY Awards announcing the creation of The V Foundation, Valvano’s“Don’t Give Up. . .Don’t Ever Give Up!”¨ motto created a legacy from which theComeback Award has been created.
“I never cease to be amazed at the incredible strength and resilience of the young people who are nominated forThe V Foundation Comeback Award every year,” said Foundation CEO Nick Valvano. “This award is very special to us not only because it recognizes young people who are outstanding student-athletes in their own right, but each has also faced tremendous adversity and challenges with incredible determination and strength.
“Every single one of these finalists truly captures the spirit of what embodies The V Foundation, theNever Give Up attitude which symbolizes their individual comebacks,” Valvano continued. “I would be honored to have my brother’s name be remembered with each and every one of them.”
Past recipients of the award are Purdue’s Katie Douglas (2001), Western Michigan’s Kristin Koetsier (2002) and the 2003 recipient Justin Allen of Arizona State.
More than 50 student-athletes were nominated by their institutions for the2004 V Foundation Comeback Award. The finalists represent a wide range of compelling stories of young men and women from all types of universities, basketball programs and personal challenges. The recipient will be selected by an eight-member sub-committee of The V Foundation Board of Directors.
To contact The V Foundation, please either e-mail Joyce Aschenbrenner atjaschenbrenner@jimmyv.org or call (919) 380-9505. To contact ESPN, please either e-mail Josh Krulewitz atjosh.krulewitz@espn.com or call him at (860) 766-2319.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano. The Foundation has raised more than $32 million and has awarded 191 cancer research grants nationwide. The Foundation operates efficiently, with 85 cents of every dollar raised, available directly for research. To learn more about The V Foundation for Cancer Research, visit our website atwww.jimmyv.org.
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