Excellence Academy Names Spirit Award Winners for Fall Semester
12/16/2020 1:00:00 PM | Softball, Women's Rowing, Wrestling, Student-Athlete Services
Bloomington, Indiana – The ongoing pandemic has prevented most IU student-athletes from making an impact on the field this fall, but many have responded by seizing the opportunity to make an enormous difference off of it.
Four of those student-athletes are being recognized for their efforts this week, as they have been named the recipients of the IU Excellence Academy Spirit Award for the fall semester. Jayna Dolfi (Rowing), Jonathan Moran (Wrestling), Grayson Radcliffe (Softball) and Jacob Moran (Wrestling) are this fall semester's recipients, which is awarded to students who have shown exemplary leadership and best exemplify IU Athletics' Spirit of Indiana, 24 Sports One team mentality.
"These have been extraordinarily challenging times in so many ways, and these four students have gone to great lengths to support not only their teammates, but the entire IU Athletics family through their dedication to service and positively impacting people's lives," said IU Deputy Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator Mattie White. "We are both proud and appreciative of all that they have each done to make a significant and lasting difference."
Dolfi, a junior from The Woodlands, Texas, is an Executive Board member of IU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In that role, she has overseen the Excellence Academy's mental health committee, which recently introduced the Green Bandana Project to IU. This project has included programming and training to IU student-athletes centered on increasing awareness of mental health and addressing the stigma associated with it.
Jonathan Moran, meanwhile, is a junior from Portage, Ind., who serves as the wrestling program's representative on SAAC. In addition to those responsibilities, he also serves as a Hoosier HEROES peer mentor for incoming freshmen, has completed the Excellence Academy's Emerging Leaders program, and traveled to Vietnam as part of the Coach of College Program. He was one of the driving forces behind IU Athletics' involvement with the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program, which recently delivered gifts for 21 area children.
Radcliffe is a senior from Rockville, Va., who created and established Women Impact Others (WIO), a new student-athlete group focused on empowering greatness in women. Radcliffe has organized and arranged monthly meetings and guest speakers as part of the new student-athlete group. Radcliffe is also softball's team representative on SAAC, is a Hoosier HEROES peer mentor, and has completed the Excellence Academy's leadership training programming.
Jacob Moran is a freshman from Portage, Ind., who has immersed himself in the Excellence Academy's programming from the moment he arrived on campus. He completed the Emerging Leaders programming this fall, and has proactively sought out and participated in most of the Excellence Academy's leadership and service opportunities this semester. In addition to seeking out these opportunities for himself, he has also reached out to teammates and fellow student-athletes to encourage their participation as well.
Four of those student-athletes are being recognized for their efforts this week, as they have been named the recipients of the IU Excellence Academy Spirit Award for the fall semester. Jayna Dolfi (Rowing), Jonathan Moran (Wrestling), Grayson Radcliffe (Softball) and Jacob Moran (Wrestling) are this fall semester's recipients, which is awarded to students who have shown exemplary leadership and best exemplify IU Athletics' Spirit of Indiana, 24 Sports One team mentality.
"These have been extraordinarily challenging times in so many ways, and these four students have gone to great lengths to support not only their teammates, but the entire IU Athletics family through their dedication to service and positively impacting people's lives," said IU Deputy Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator Mattie White. "We are both proud and appreciative of all that they have each done to make a significant and lasting difference."
Dolfi, a junior from The Woodlands, Texas, is an Executive Board member of IU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In that role, she has overseen the Excellence Academy's mental health committee, which recently introduced the Green Bandana Project to IU. This project has included programming and training to IU student-athletes centered on increasing awareness of mental health and addressing the stigma associated with it.
Jonathan Moran, meanwhile, is a junior from Portage, Ind., who serves as the wrestling program's representative on SAAC. In addition to those responsibilities, he also serves as a Hoosier HEROES peer mentor for incoming freshmen, has completed the Excellence Academy's Emerging Leaders program, and traveled to Vietnam as part of the Coach of College Program. He was one of the driving forces behind IU Athletics' involvement with the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program, which recently delivered gifts for 21 area children.
Radcliffe is a senior from Rockville, Va., who created and established Women Impact Others (WIO), a new student-athlete group focused on empowering greatness in women. Radcliffe has organized and arranged monthly meetings and guest speakers as part of the new student-athlete group. Radcliffe is also softball's team representative on SAAC, is a Hoosier HEROES peer mentor, and has completed the Excellence Academy's leadership training programming.
Jacob Moran is a freshman from Portage, Ind., who has immersed himself in the Excellence Academy's programming from the moment he arrived on campus. He completed the Emerging Leaders programming this fall, and has proactively sought out and participated in most of the Excellence Academy's leadership and service opportunities this semester. In addition to seeking out these opportunities for himself, he has also reached out to teammates and fellow student-athletes to encourage their participation as well.
Players Mentioned
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