2007 Bluffton University Baseball Team to Receive NCAA’s Inspiration Award

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) announced today that among the special honors it will present at the upcoming annual NCAA National Convention will be the "Inspiration Award" to the 2007 Bluffton University baseball team. This is one of the NCAA's top awards. It is given when there is a worthy recipient (not necessarily every year), and is considered for the NCAA as a whole (Division I through Division III.)  Normally this is an individual award, but this is the first time it will be awarded to an entire team, including the team members who died.

The award ceremony itself will be part of the 2010 gathering of delegates at the NCAA Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, on the evening of January 15. Several other national awards will be part of the same ceremony. The NCAA has asked Bluffton to designate two individuals to travel to the Atlanta Convention to receive the award on behalf of the team.  Coach James Grandey and current student-athlete Cody McPherson, who is the only remaining player who was involved in the bus accident and who is still playing baseball for the Beavers this year, will attend.  As part of the awards ceremony, the NCAA will screen a short video that it will make for the occasion, honoring the memory and inspiration of the 2007 team.  A film crew was on campus yesterday, November 3, to film interviews. Bluffton expects to be able to show this video on campus at a later date for those who wish to see it.

The stated criteria for the NCAA Inspiration Award is as follows:  "The NCAA Inspiration Award may be presented to a coach or administrator currently associated with intercollegiate athletics, or to a current or former varsity letter-winner at an NCAA institution who, when confronted with a life-altering situation used perseverance, dedication and determination to overcome the event and now serves as a role model to give hope and inspiration to others in similar situations."

The official announcement may be found (Click Here)