When COVID-19 shut down all athletic events from March to December 2020, Vulcan teams kept active by serving the Â鶹´«Ã½ Island community.
Local groups noticed, and so did the NCAA. On January 5, they honored the Vulcans with the Award of Excellence.
Twenty-eight schools and one conference were named finalists for the 2021 Division II Award of Excellence. A finalist was chosen from each of the division’s 23 conferences. Six additional finalists were picked as at-large honorees for submitting a strong nomination that was not chosen as the finalist for their conference. A national winner will be selected from the finalists on January 15.
The Vulcans and Concordia (California) were both selected from the Pacific West Conference.
Through a partnership with the California and Hawaii Foliage Growers, UH Hilo student-athletes and coaches picked and harvested more than 15,000 ears of corn. They also cooked breakfast at a recovery home, harvested coffee beans, drew attention to mental health, rallied students to vote and helped at a local food basket.
More about the award
Division II honors its members each year for conducting events that promote student-athletes giving back and serving as leaders within their communities or on their campuses.
The national winner, runner-up and second runner-up will all receive cash prizes. The Vulcans are already guaranteed $500 as a finalist, to be used in a future community service project. The national winner will receive $2,500, the runner-up $1,250 and the second runner-up will earn $1,000.
A committee of athletics administrators determined this year’s finalists, and the national Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee selects the winner, who will be announced at the Division II business session January 15 at the virtual 2021 NCAA Convention.
—By Russ Blunck