CoSIDA members -
nominate your deserving student-athletes now through Dec. 31 for a Haier Achievement Award. Haier will announce eight (8) honorees throughout the year, beginning with the announcement of K-State's Kelly Thomson today. In March, you can invite fans to vote online for the
Haier Ultimate Achievement Award winner. The winner will earn his/her school a $5,000 donation to the general scholarship fund and a Haier 48-inch LED HD television. Additionally, all fans who vote will be entered into a drawing to win a Haier 48-inch LED HD TV.
www.HaierAchievement.com
Kelly Thomson, a junior guard for the Kansas State University women’s basketball team, has been selected as a recipient of the
Haier Achievement Award, which is presented to deserving student-athletes for their accomplishments beyond sports. The announcement of this year’s first
Haier Achievement Award recipient was made by John Homlish, Senior Vice President and Business Unit Leader of Digital Living for Haier America and Doug Vance, Executive Director of CoSIDA.
“The Haier Achievement Award program brings to light those student-athletes who have achieved success beyond sports,” said Homlish. “By recognizing eight inspiring student-athletes like Kelly throughout the year we hope to further motivate other young people to achieve and succeed both on and off the field. We commend Kelly for fighting through the adversity she has faced and being a model student-athlete on the court, in the classroom and in the community.”
Despite suffering two ACL injuries, Thomson has continued to be a hard-working and determined player for the K-State women’s basketball team and a motivated student and community leader. She serves as the vice president of the K-State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, after serving as the SAAC Community Outreach Chair in 2014-15. She has participated in a large number of community outreach programs including Cats for Cans, Adopt a Family gift giving around the holidays, Special Olympics clinics and camps, Walk to Cure Arthritis and the Cats in the Classroom reading program. In the classroom she has earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors in 2014, is a four-time Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll selection and received the 2015 Pat Bosco Team Academic Award. Her teammates respect and follow her example of hard work and accordingly she was rewarded with the team's 2015 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade Tammie Romstad Durable Award.
The 5’9” guard has seen her basketball career sidetracked by two knee injuries. The first came during one of the first practices of her freshman (2012-13) season forcing her to miss the entire year. After working her way back to the court for her redshirt freshman (2013-14) season, she appeared in 19 games, starting one and scoring a career high of 15 points versus UTEP, before tearing her ACL again and missing the rest of the season. She returned to the court midway through the 2014-15 season to appear in 17 games. During her high school career at Riley County H.S., she set a host of school records and earned numerous honors including being named All-State Class 3A First Team.
"After learning about this award and what it stands for, I'm so humbled that I was thought of as a nominee, let alone selected to be a recipient. This is such an honor and I'm so grateful for being considered," said Thomson.
Haier will officially recognize Thomson on November 16 during the Kansas State basketball doubleheader at Bramlage Coliseum when the women battle Abilene Christian and the men face Columbia. In addition to awarding her with a plaque, Haier will donate $2,000 to the Kansas State University general scholarship fund and award a Haier 48-inch LED HD television to the school’s athletic department.
"Despite all of the challenges she has faced, Kelly has served as a great role model for all of our players. She works hard at her rehabilitation, in practice, in the classroom and in the community. She represents what college athletics is all about,” said Kansas State Women’s Basketball Coach Jeff Mittie.
Student-athletes from all sports, all schools, and all divisions are eligible for the Haier Achievement Award. Members of CoSIDA and fans can nominate student-athletes through December 31, 2015, at
www.HaierAchievement.com/nominate.
Haier will announce eight (8) honorees throughout the year and in March invite fans to vote online for the
Haier Ultimate Achievement Award winner. The winner will earn his/her school a $5,000 donation to the general scholarship fund and a Haier 48-inch LED HD television. Additionally, all fans who vote will be entered into a drawing to win a Haier 48-inch LED HD TV.