The 2007 CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in conjunction with the ESPN Reception at this year's CoSIDA Workshop in San Diego. The induction-reception is scheduled for Sunday, July 1st, with the Hall of Fame ceremony to begin at 5:00 pm and the ESPN Reception to following immediately thereafter.
"We truly value ESPN and The Magazine's growing association with the CoSIDA Academic All-America Teams," said Keith Clinkscales, Senior Vice President, General Manager ESPN Publishing. "And, we are proud to be involved with the Hall of Fame induction reception."
For the past three years, ESPN The Magazine has been the title sponsor for the Academic All-America core program. In fact, the program honors 2,000 student-athletes per year. This total includes the District and National Teams as well as the Athletes of the Year.
"We couldn't be more proud of the current group of Academic All-America Hall of Famers, who represent the best result of what student-athletes should strive for during and after their college careers," said CoSIDA president Doug Dull. "The current candidates for this year's induction class continue that amazing tradition as they are all exemplary members of their communities and ambassadors of their institutions."
"We are very excited that the class of 2007 will be recognized in conjunction with our major corporate partner ESPN and ESPN The Magazine," continued Dull. "We are very proud to honor these former student-athletes through this worthy programthe best of its kind in all of intercollegiate athletics."
Created in 1988, the Academic All-America Hall of Fame recognizes former Academic All-Americans who have achieved lifetime success in their professional careers and are committed to philanthropic causes in the communities in which they live.
In all, there are 93 members of the Hall of Fame ranging from US Senators and Representatives, military heroes, attorneys, physicians, college presidents, Nobel Prize recipients, leading figures of corporate America, and sports legends.
To be eligible for induction, the individual must have earned Academic All-America Team honors during his/her collegiate career, graduated with a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, have graduated at least 10 years ago, and have had proven career success and philanthropic service.
In addition, there have been honorary inductees. These can be either a person or organization, which has made a significant contribution to the Academic All-America Committee, Teams, or Hall of Fame. In addition, "Honorary" designation may be awarded to a former scholar-athlete whose collegiate career pre-dated the Academic All-America program in his/her particular sport.
Sports Information Directors annually nominate former student-athletes who meet the Hall of Fame criteria. A national ballot consisting of all eligible candidates, which numbers over 100 each year, is distributed to a 125-member voting committee to determine the "Top 25" finalists. A final ballot is then sent to a 12-member Hall of Fame selection committee which will select a maximum of four inductees, and, when warranted, an Honorary Inductee.
The July 1st induction ceremony will also include the presentation of the Dick Enberg Award. Established in 1997, the Award, which is named after the official spokesperson for the Academic All-America program since 1985, is presented annually to a "person whose actions and commitment have furthered the meaning and reach of the Academic All-America Teams Program and/or the student-athlete while promoting the values of education and academics." The Award was created in part to recognize Dick Enberg's passion and support of the Academic All-America program for more than two decades as well as his dedication to education for more than four decades.