University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC's O'Donnell A Finalist For Wooden Cup
January 4, 2010 | Field Hockey
Jan. 4, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Brianna O'Donnell, a member of two NCAA Championship field hockey teams at North Carolina, has been named as one of five finalists for the Coach Wooden Citizen Cup, which is awarded in honor of legendary basketball coach John Wooden to a student-athlete who has made a great positive influence in the lives of others. O'Donnell, who completed her UNC degree in December, majored in international studies at Carolina and was heavily involved in community service.
The annual award honors one collegiate athlete and one professional athlete. Tar Heel women's soccer alum Mia Hamm is this year's professional athlete honoree.
Joining O'Donnell as finalists for the collegiate award are Zak Boggs (Soccer, University of South Florida); Colt McCoy (Football, University of Texas); Rebecca Poskin (Soccer, Dartmouth College); and Melissa Schellberg (Softball, Harvard University). The award recipient will be announced at a ceremony held at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club on Wednesday, January 19.
The Wooden Cup is now in its sixth year and counts among its previous recipients Peyton Manning, John Smoltz, John Lynch, Andrea Yaeger and Cal Ripken, Jr. Founded by Athletes for a Better World (ABW), a non-profit organization committed to changing the culture of American sports, the Wooden Cup is open to athletes in all collegiate and professional sports. Nominations come from every conference in the NCAA.
O'Donnell, from Collegeville, Pa., helped the Tar Heels to NCAA titles in 2007 and 2009 from her position at goalkeeper. During her career, she earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and second-team All-Region honors, and was named to the All-ACC Academic Team, the ACC Academic Honor Roll and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad. While a UNC student, she made numerous volunteer trips to Kenya and helped to raise funds for an orphanage there. Last summer, she organized and implemented a project, Kicks for Community, that gathered donated athletic shoes and delivered them to needy recipients in Mexico. She is a past recipient of the ACC's Top Six for Service Award, which goes to conference student-athletes who are active in community outreach.
