ATLANTA -– Athletes for a Better World yesterday announced the nominees for its 2012 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup. The award recipients will be announced on Wednesday, April 25 in a ceremony held in the Egyptian Ballroom at the historic Fox Theatre in Atlanta.

The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup is presented to two distinguished athletes, one collegiate and one professional, for their character and leadership both on and off the field and their contributions to sport and society.

Pat Summitt, esteemed University of Tennessee's Lady Vols' basketball coach, will be honored as the professional recipient. Coach Summitt has won more games than any other basketball coach in history, including a record eight NCAA Championships. More importantly, she is regarded as one of the finest role models in sports and has positively influenced countless athletes and young people.

Five collegiate finalists will be honored and recognized during the ceremony but only one will receive the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup. The collegiate finalists include:

Tommy Chase – University of Notre Dame – Baseball

Aleca Hughes – Yale University – Ice Hockey

Roddy Jones – Georgia Tech – Football

Josh Nadzam – University of Kentucky – Track and Field

Cody Reichard – Miami University of Ohio – Ice Hockey


Founded by Athletes for a Better World, a non-profit organization committed to changing the culture of American sports, the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup is open to athletes in all collegiate and professional sports.

John Wooden, who won 10 national championships as basketball coach at UCLA, is regarded as the greatest college coach of all time. Universally regarded as one of the finest human beings in the world of sports, his character, conduct and selfless gifts stand at the highest level by any standard. When Coach Wooden learned about Athletes for a Better World, he gave permission for his name to be associated with the annual award and spoke at the inaugural event in Los Angeles in 2005.

Recipients of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup are chosen by a committee chaired by Vincent Dooley, former University of Georgia athletic director, and include more than 100 distinguished individuals involved in athletics across the country.

The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup is one of the most prestigious awards in sports. Previous professional recipients include Dikembe Mutombo, Mia Hamm, Peyton Manning, John Smoltz, John Lynch, Andrea Jaeger and Cal Ripken Jr.

Athletes for a Better World (ABW) exists to change the culture of sport by developing individual character, teamwork and civic responsibility through commitment to the Code for Living. ABW's vision is to have the code become a part of every sport at every level. ABW provides free support and resources to coaches and athletes across the country who want to teach and live out these values. ABW's Code for Living can be found on playing fields, locker rooms and athletic facilities across the country. Currently, ABW players and coaches are represented in every state and several foreign countries.