Why the CCS

• 3 USCAA Student-Athletes of the Year. This award is a great parallel to the NCAA III philosophy, as it considers not only athletic achievement, but equally academic success and community involvement as criteria.

CAMPUS / COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

The W Athletics – and its staff – have been intentional about instilling a mentality of “giving back” in our programs and their student-athletes. At The W we know that athletics participation is a privilege and should be treated as such.

The Owls have reached out to many constituents, locally and on campus, to participate in activities. Teams volunteered at the City of Columbus’ Market Street Festival. The tennis teams took used tennis balls and installed them on chairs and tables of a local elementary school to help prolong the life of the floor and reduce noise levels. The women’s and men’s basketball teams assisted at the Walk for Diabetes-Columbus, MS (as a side note, both head coaches are diabetic and made for a compelling story). Several of our teams staffed booths at the MUW campus’ Oktoberfest fundraiser event.

Our SAAC hosted a Thanksgiving Food Drive, benefitting the local United Way, as well as the campus’ own food pantry. Women’s Soccer held a “Pink Out” for breast cancer awareness and also a youth day for young girls.

The W athletic teams each participate in our Team-for-Team program, whereby out-of-season teams partner with an in-season team and assist with their game-day duties. This helps to make competitions both run smoother and create a “oneness” among our department. 4