This post is partially to serve to remind schools that the nomination deadline is approaching for the Jostens Trophy. It’s also intended to explain what the award is and is not.
The award is not for the Division III basketball player of the year. The winner of the Jostens Trophy is chosen by a national selection committee (of which I am a member) that consists of college coaches, former athletes, college administrators, and selected members of the media. The members of the national selection committee cast their votes based on three criteria: basketball ability, academic ability, and community service.
It’s great to have an award that exemplifies the spirit of Division III. I just hope that voters remember the basketball portion of the award. There have been 16 winners of the award between men’s and women’s basketball since it was initiated for the 1997-98 season and I would say a half-dozen were very strong player of the year candidates.
To Sports Information Directors who are nominating players: If you’re borderline about your student-athlete’s academic and community service credentials, nominate anyway. Send it in and let the committee decide. The more nominees, the more credible the 10 finalists will be. I’ve seen finalists with GPAs below 3.00 (although that affected where I placed them on the ballot) and I’ve seen finalists whose only “community service” includes working basketball camps.
Those aren’t attractive on a nomination form, but they’re not unprecedented.
If you misplaced or did not receive the initial mailing from the award’s organizers, download it from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference’s Web site.
A nomination is complete upon receipt of:
1) the nomination form signed by the college president, VP, dean or athletics director.
2) a letter of recommendation from the college president, VP, dean or athletics director.
3) a letter of recommendation from the head basketball coach.
And ahem, if you’re not a coach, athletic director or Sports Information Director (I’m talking to you, parents) do NOT nominate your son or daughter. This isn’t high school.
I have candidates in mind, but I can only hope they will be nominated.