Sixth annual Rock Chalk Choice Awards set for Sept. 10
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The sixth annual Rock Chalk Choice Awards will go “Back to the Future” to honor the best student-athletes and moments from the 2016-17 Kansas Athletics campaign on Sunday, Sept. 10, inside the Lied Center on the University of Kansas campus.
The Academy Awards-like event will recognize the top team and individual performances of the previous year and begins with a red-carpet entrance and a reception in the Lied Center lobby. During the main event inside the Lied Center’s auditorium, top honors in seven different categories – Jayhawker Award, Best Jayhawk in a Supporting Role, The Crimson Climb Award, True Blue Award, Rock Chalk Moment Award, and Male and Female Athlete of the Year – will be unveiled and special student-athlete academic achievements will also be recognized during the ceremony.
A number of notable names from Kansas Athletics will be presenting the awards this year. Assistant Athletics Director of Sports Performance Andrea Hudy and Director of Football Strength and Conditioning Zac Woodfin will be presenting the Jayhawker Award. The Supporting Role Award will be given by Larry Hare, Assistant Athletics Director of Equipment Services and Equipment Manager Demetrius Daniels. The Crimson Climb Award will be presented by Director of Tutoring Michelle Robinson and the Director of Records/Coordinator of International Student-Athlete Support Dr. Phil Lowcock. The True Blue Award will be presented by Head Team Physician Dr. Larry Magee and Murphy Grant, Associate Athletics Director of Sports Medicine.
Former Kansas track & field standout Natalia Bartnovskaya-Price will present the Female Athlete of the Year Award and Kansas basketball great Wayne Simien will be awardng the Male Athlete of the Year. Director of Athletics Sheahon Zenger will announce the most anticipated award of the night, Moment of the Year.
Paul Buskirk, Associate Athletics Director for Student Athlete Support Services and Faculty Representative Susan Stagg-Williams will be presenting the academics awards. Current student-athletes Casey Douglas (baseball) and Josh Ehambe (football) will accompany Del Shankel to present the Del Shankel Award.
As in years past, due to space limitations at the Lied Center, the event is by invitation only and limited to athletic department staff, student-athletes, and selected KU faculty and dignitaries. Former Kansas women’s basketball player Jada Brown will be talking with student-athletes during the red-carpet entrance and it will be streamed via Facebook Live for followers of Kansas Athletics starting at 6:10 p.m. Brown will be backstage speaking with the night’s winners after receiving their awards, which can be viewed on the KU Leads Instagram page.
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