INDIANAPOLIS (NABC/SMU) – SMU’s Semi Ojeleye (shem-ee o-juh-lay) is a nominee for the 2016 Allstate NABC Good Works Team, a distinguished award that highlights student-athletes who have shown dedication to community service and altruism in their communities.
In its fourth year, the award recognizes players at all levels of college basketball who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement.
The junior from Ottawa, Kansas, is an advocate for the “I Have a Dream Foundation”, which is a local group that focuses on creating an environment to help children develop a healthy self-confidence, a passion for learning and a sense of community for lifelong service to others by providing mentors, educational opportunities, after school programming and recreational programming.
The program offers tutoring, life skills and lifelong mentoring by providing children with home and school visits to monitor academic and social progress as well as daily nutrition assistance.
The junior is a psychology major and posts a 3.714 cumulative grade-point-average. A former Parade Magazine National Player of the Year, Ojeleye played in 23 games at Duke before transferring to SMU in January of 2015.
“Allstate is honored to embark on another year of collaboration with the NABC and WBCA, and together recognize student-athletes for their unwavering commitment to making a difference,” said Thomas Clarkson, president of the west territory for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2016 NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams selection panels.
The 154 NABC nominees and the 103 WBCA nominees were submitted by sports information directors and college basketball coaches across the country. From the nominations, special voting panels, headlined by former Duke University basketball athlete, two-time NCAA champion and seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill, and former University of Tennessee basketball athlete, NCAA champion and WNBA legend Tamika Catchings, will select two 10-member teams comprised of five student-athletes from the NCAA Division I level and five student-athletes from Divisions II, III and the NAIA. The final roster of 20 award recipients will be unveiled in February.
In addition to Clarkson, Hill and Catchings, the 2016 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Team selection panel members include: former college basketball student-athletes Clark Kellogg (Ohio State University / CBS Sports), and Alana Beard (Duke University); media members Seth Davis (Sports Illustrated/CBS), Dana O’Neil (ESPN), Carolyn Peck (ESPN) and LaChina Robinson (ESPN/FOX); former head coaches Bobby Cremins (Georgia Tech/College of Charleston), Seth Greenberg (Virginia Tech University), Marsha Sharp (Texas Tech University) and Nell Fortner (Auburn University); and current college basketball coach Coquese Washington (Penn State University).
More information about the Allstate NABC Good Works Team and the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team is available at nabc.org and wbca.org.
In its fourth year, the award recognizes players at all levels of college basketball who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement.
The junior from Ottawa, Kansas, is an advocate for the “I Have a Dream Foundation”, which is a local group that focuses on creating an environment to help children develop a healthy self-confidence, a passion for learning and a sense of community for lifelong service to others by providing mentors, educational opportunities, after school programming and recreational programming.
The program offers tutoring, life skills and lifelong mentoring by providing children with home and school visits to monitor academic and social progress as well as daily nutrition assistance.
The junior is a psychology major and posts a 3.714 cumulative grade-point-average. A former Parade Magazine National Player of the Year, Ojeleye played in 23 games at Duke before transferring to SMU in January of 2015.
“Allstate is honored to embark on another year of collaboration with the NABC and WBCA, and together recognize student-athletes for their unwavering commitment to making a difference,” said Thomas Clarkson, president of the west territory for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2016 NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams selection panels.
The 154 NABC nominees and the 103 WBCA nominees were submitted by sports information directors and college basketball coaches across the country. From the nominations, special voting panels, headlined by former Duke University basketball athlete, two-time NCAA champion and seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill, and former University of Tennessee basketball athlete, NCAA champion and WNBA legend Tamika Catchings, will select two 10-member teams comprised of five student-athletes from the NCAA Division I level and five student-athletes from Divisions II, III and the NAIA. The final roster of 20 award recipients will be unveiled in February.
In addition to Clarkson, Hill and Catchings, the 2016 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Team selection panel members include: former college basketball student-athletes Clark Kellogg (Ohio State University / CBS Sports), and Alana Beard (Duke University); media members Seth Davis (Sports Illustrated/CBS), Dana O’Neil (ESPN), Carolyn Peck (ESPN) and LaChina Robinson (ESPN/FOX); former head coaches Bobby Cremins (Georgia Tech/College of Charleston), Seth Greenberg (Virginia Tech University), Marsha Sharp (Texas Tech University) and Nell Fortner (Auburn University); and current college basketball coach Coquese Washington (Penn State University).
More information about the Allstate NABC Good Works Team and the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team is available at nabc.org and wbca.org.