Will Bruce one of five finalists for Wooden Citizenship Cup

Williams senior ice hockey player William Bruce (Nashville, TN) has been named one of five collegiate finalists for the prestigious 4th Annual Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup.

The Coach Wooden Cup is an award given for the most outstanding role model among collegiate and professional athletes and is presented by Athletes for a Better World.

The Wooden Cup is given to a collegiate and a professional athlete who has made the greatest difference in the lives of others. The collegiate award recipient will be announced by Athletes for a Better World President Fred Northup at a ceremony held at Atlanta’s Ansley Golf Club on Thursday, Jan. 24.

With Peyton Manning, John Smoltz and John Lynch as previous recipients, the Wooden Cup is becoming one of the most prestigious awards in sports. Recipients are considered role models and athletes of excellence both on and off the field.

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 in that it is open to athletes in all collegiate and professional sports. Nominations come from every conference in the NCAA.

Will Bruce '08

Bruce, a four-year letterman for the Ephs created or was directly involved in 17 community service activities at Williams and he has been recognized regionally for his efforts. Bruce has been honored by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and Williams College – earning both the Grosvenor Memorial Cup, Campus Life Dedication to Community Service Award and has won a Martin-Wilson fellowship that cover his expenses for two years of graduate study at Oxford University (England). Bruce, is a double major (history and economics) and has attained Dean's List status each semester at Williams.

Joining the Ephs' Bruce as a finalist are:

Jill Johnson, Women's Basketball, Missouri Western University

Ashley King, Women's Ice Hockey, Wayne State University

Jonathan Moehlig, Baseball, Bloomfield College

Peyton Stovall, Men's Basketball, Ball State University.

You can read the nomination packet of each of the five finalists by going to the Athletes for a Better world website.

The Wooden Cup is named in honor of John Wooden, one of the most successful coaches in collegiate basketball history. Wooden’s legacy as a compassionate, civic-minded individual continues to make him one of the most admired coaches in the history of sport.

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.

Wooden Cup Semi-finalists:

Summer Ragsdale, Women’s Soccer, Auburn University

Noah Van Niel, Football, Harvard University

Keion Kindred, Men’s Basketball, Missouri Western State University

Stephanie Swiger, Women’s Volleyball, Bowling Green State University

Tim Jepson, Men’s Soccer, Duke University

Mallika Raghavan, Women’s Tennis, Bates College

Jacob Tamme, Football, University of Kentucky

Brianna O’Donnell, Field Hockey, University of North Carolina

Brady Brink, Men’s Basketball, St. John’s University

Darryl Richard, Football, Georgia Institute of Technology

Luke Drone, Football, Illinois State University

Stephanie Cole, Softball, Grand Valley State University

Kristi Miller, Women’s Tennis, Georgia Institute of Technology

Nic Harris, Football, University of Oklahoma

Andrea Jaeger, the former No. 2 ranked women’s professional tennis player in the world has been named the 2008 professional athlete Wooden Citizenship Cup winner. Jaeger has established the Little Star Foundation for the benefit of children with terminal cancer.  Jaeger has donated all her financial resources, the millions she won and earned, even her pension to the foundation.  Since an injury forced her retirement at age 19, Jaeger has devoted her life to the cause of children.  Supported by John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and numerous celebrities such as Cindy Crawford, Jaeger has an inspiring story to tell about “winning more than the game,” the slogan of ABW.