Colorado University Athletics
Knutson A Finalist For 11th Annual V Foundation Comeback Award
Knutson joins fellow Big 12 Conference student-athletes Angel Goodrich (Kansas), Thomas Robinson (Kansas) and Whitney Hand (Oklahoma) as 11 finalists.
The annual award is open to men and women collegiate basketball student-athletes in all divisions. It is awarded to an individual or a team who has accomplished a personal triumph in the face of true adversity, be it in health, life or moral dilemma. Student-athletes are nominated by their athletics department representative.
The award is presented in memory of Jim Valvano, the late basketball coach and ESPN commentator, whose personal battle with cancer inspired the creation of The V Foundation. In his memorable speech at ESPN's inaugural ESPY Awards announcing the creation of The V Foundation, Valvano's "Don't Give Up . . . Don't Ever Give Up!"-« motto created a legacy from which the Comeback Award was created.
Other 2011 finalists are: Jessica Breland (North Carolina), Dawn Evans (James Madison), Jacki Gemelos (USC), Andrea "Drey" Mingo (Purdue), Cory Pflieger (Rice), Kim Rodgers (Maryland) and Krystal Thomas (Duke).
"This year's finalists for The V Foundation Comeback Award truly exemplify courage and determination in the face of adversity," said V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano. "The nominees are exemplary young people who embody The V Foundation's "Don't Give Up" attitude."
The 2011 recipient will be selected by a six-member sub-committee of The V Foundation Board of Directors. Past recipients of the award are: Katie Douglas, Purdue (2001); Kristin Koetsier, Western Michigan (2002); Justin Allen, Arizona State (2003); Jamie Carey, Texas (2004); Kayla Burt, Washington (2005); Grant Dykstra, Western Washington (2006); the United States Military Academy Women's Basketball Team (2007); Nicole Hester, Drexel (2008); Tiffara Steward, Farmingdale State (2009); Dallas Blocker, Youngstown State (2010).
Information
on Big 12 Finalists
Levi Knutson, SR,
Colorado - During his freshman year Levi sustained
an impingement and a torn labrum on his left hip requiring
surgery. At the beginning of his sophomore year, he learned,
once again, his right hip would also need to have surgery. He
was able to play each respective season, delaying surgery to the
end of the season. Prior to his junior year, Levi experienced
a minor setback, forcing him to miss the first five games of that
season. He approached his senior season fully healthy.
In 2010-11, Levi is having his best season-to-date with career
numbers in PPG (12.1), FGM (128), FG% (52.7) and leads the team
with 61 3-pointers. He's one of the Big 12 leaders in 3-point
accuracy. Levi also excels in the classroom. He's a
three-time All-Big 12 Academic (1st team), five-time
Commissioners Honor Roll, six-time Dean's List and achieved a
perfect 4.0 grade point average twice. He's earned CU's
Scholar-Athlete Award for highest GPA of the junior class (3.929)
and possessed the highest GPA among finance students in the CU
Leeds School of Business in Fall 2010. In February 2011, he was
named a CoSIDA Academic second team All-America.
Angel Goodrich, SO, Kansas - Angel arrived at Kansas in 2009 after a stellar high school career. In just her second collegiate practice, she suffered a torn ACL in her left knee and spent the rest the rest of the year in rehab. Leading the team the following year to a nine-straight-week ranking (11-3), being the fastest player in KU history to record 100 assists, just 15 games into the season she tore the ACL in her right knee, along with meniscus damage. Following rehab, she returned for her third season and after three games was forced to the bench for seven games after requiring surgery to repair scar tissue from the ACL surgery. She returned to the court for good in mid-December and is currently first in the Big 12 in assists, leads the league in assists in conference play and after missing the seven games in Dec. has turned in great stats including double-figure scoring and assist games and set an Allen Fieldhouse (men and women) assist record with 15, in an upset win vs. #20 Iowa State. She is active in many community service projects and has adopted a local elementary school in KU's Schools for Success program. Of Native American descent, Angel serves as a role model in the Native American community, speaking to local groups about persevering though hard times and overcoming obstacles.
Thomas Robinson, SO, Kansas - During the 2010-11 season Thomas suffered through the deaths of three immediate family members (grandmother, grandfather, mother) in a span of 21 days, plus a slight meniscus tear in his right knee that sidelined him for three games. His only remaining family member is an older brother who has been out of his life for years, and his 7-year old sister. He missed Kansas' Jan. 5 game to attend his grandmother's funeral in Washington DC; 1 -+ weeks later he lost his grandfather, but his mother insisted Thomas not attend the funeral (since it was so shortly following his return to Kansas). On the evening before KU played Texas, his sister called him with the shocking news that his mother had suddenly passed away at the young age of 43. Mourning with his teammates all night, he went ahead and played against Texas saying it was what his mother would want him to do. Returning to DC, the 19-year old planned his mother's funeral and hired a law firm to set up a fund to honor his mother and assist with his sister's education expenses. Following rehab for the Feb. 7 injury, he returned to the court (saying basketball was a "release"), giving KU inspiration on and off of the court.
Whitney Hand, SO, Oklahoma - Whitney started all 33 games of OU's Final Four season, her freshman year, was Big 12 Freshman of the Year (and other honors). In an early game in her highly anticipated sophomore season, she sustained a torn ACL and meniscus, and sprained MCL, as well as a deep bone bruise. Within three weeks, she underwent surgery and faced six months of rehab made more challenging because of the combination of injuries. She approached rehab like she had playing basketball - giving 110 percent at every opportunity, taking a seat right next to Head Coach Sherri Coale on the bench. She listened, watched, learned and then shared what she had learned with her teammates in a way that only works teammate to teammate. She was cleared to play after six months of rehab. In a summer pick-up game she noticed pain in her knee --the bone bruise was still there requiring additional surgery. The damage to the articular cartilage was more extensive than the MRI had shown. Whitney faced six to eight weeks on crutches and an additional three months of difficult rehab. She attacked her rehab, fueled by her burning desire to get back on the floor, leading her team. Once again, she found a role helping the young players and support the returning players. Eventually, 401 days after the initial injury, Whitney returned to the court, although she continues to have pain, and is a role model for her teammates because they know she came back for them.