CoSIDA members - Haier will announce eight (8) honorees throughout the year. Nominations closed on Dec. 31st for this year's nominees. 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
WAYNWAYNE, NJ & AUSTIN, TX – JAN. 28, 2016 — Imani Boyette, a member of the University of Texas women’s basketball team, has been selected 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 sixth
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 the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
“The Haier Achievement Award program brings to light those student-athletes who have achieved success beyond sports,” said Homlish. “By recognizing eight student-athletes with inspirational stories throughout the year, we hope to further motivate other young people to achieve and succeed both on and off the field. By bringing to light Imani’s story of courage and overcoming personal obstacles, we hope to inspire other young people.”
Imani has overcome great obstacles to achieve success both on and off the court while serving as a role model and inspiration to others. As a survivor of suicide attempts and molestation at a young age, Imani has used poetry, basketball and her experiences at the University of Texas to overcome a turbulent youth. She participates in “slam poetry” events as a way to share her story and provide inspiration to others. An accounting major in the McCombs School of Business, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in professional accounting. Additionally, she serves as a team representative on UT’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was a member of The Speak Austin poetry team in 2013-14. The daughter of former WNBA great Pam McGee and younger sister of NBA star JaVale McGee, she married University of Texas football player Paul Boyette in July, 2015.
On the court, the 6’-7” center from Los Angeles has had an impressive career. During her first three years she played in 90 games, averaging 10.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. She has scored more than 1,000 points, brought down more than 900 rebounds and has blocked more than 200 shots in her career.
Her many accolades include: 2015 Honda Inspiration Award; 2014-15 Big 12 Female Sportsperson of the Year; 2014-15 first-team All-Big 12 Conference; and 2012-13 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. During her high school career, she was named a 2012 McDonald’s All-American and led the Windward School to the State Championship.
Haier will officially recognize Imani with an on-court presentation at the February 20th Texas-Baylor men’s basketball game. In addition to awarding her with a plaque, Haier will donate $2,000 to the University of Texas general scholarship fund and award a Haier 48-inch LED HD television to the school’s athletic department.
“Every time I receive an award I am extremely humbled,” Boyette said. “But I am especially grateful for this award. The purpose behind this award embodies why I volunteer and openly share my story. My goal has always been to inspire others to get out and get involved. I want to thank UT Athletics for giving me this platform, and Haier and CoSIDA for the award."
"Watching Imani grow as a young woman has been one of the true highlights of my coaching career," Texas head coach Karen Aston
said. "She's an amazing talent on the court, but her courage and perseverance have been the true measure of her growth. Imani's resolve, perseverance and effort has become an inspiration, not only for our program, but also for women all over the world."
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 at
www.HaierAchievement.com. 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
. Kelly Thomson (Kansas State University), a junior women’s basketball player;
Megan Fish (University of Central Florida), a senior women’s soccer player;
Malcolm Mitchell (University of Georgia), a senior football player; swimmer
Emily Fogle (Purdue University); and
Femi Hollinger-Franzen (Indiana University), a men’s soccer player are the other Haier Achievement Award honorees recognized thus far this year.
ABOUT HAIER
Haier America (
www.haieramerica.com) is a subsidiary of Haier Group, the world's No. 1 major appliance brand as ranked by Euromonitor International 2014, and a global leader in consumer electronics. Haier employs more than 60,000 people around the world and distributes products in more than 100 countries and regions with global revenues reaching $32.6 billion in 2014.
ABOUT CoSIDA
CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America,
www.cosida.com) was founded in 1957 and is a 3,000-plus member national organization comprised of sports public relations, media relations and communications/information professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the U.S. and Canada.
CoSIDA has two primary missions: 1) Assist communications and public relations professionals at all collegiate levels with professional development and continuing education, 2) Play a significant leadership and resource role within the overall collegiate athletics enterprise, thus helping other management groups and their respective memberships deal with the set of communications-based issues that is the most complex and challenging in history.
Media Contact
Doug Drotman
Haier Achievement Award (
www.HaierAchievement.com)
HaierAchievementAward@gmail.com and 631-462-1198