Jan. 5, 2016
Vanderbilt men’s cross country sophomore Sam DeFabrizio was named a semifinalist for the Athletes for a Better World Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup on Tuesday.
Presented annually to one student-athlete, the award honors those who best display character, teamwork and citizenship – the attributes Athletes for a Better World deems central to transforming individuals, sport and society.
A native of Glen Gardner, N.J., DeFabrizio is extremely active on campus and in the community. A member of Vanderbilt Student Government and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, DeFabrizio also traveled abroad to Peru and Cuba last summer for service trips.
He spent last June in Peru mentoring American high school athletes and teaching a free English after-school program to 45 local students as part of STRIVE – an international service program. Following his time in Peru, DeFabrizio traveled to Cuba with other Vanderbilt student-athletes to distribute shoes with Soles4Souls.
In the fall, DeFabrizio orchestrated a canned food drive for SAAC with all donations going to a local food bank.
DeFabrizio was one of 17 student-athletes selected as semifinalists for the award. Five others were named as finalists still eligible to win the award.
Semifinalists:
Samantha Alvino, Field Hockey, Softball, Elms College
Allyson Barys, Soccer, Georgia College
Erin Bies, Volleyball, Siena College
Sara Carlson, Women’s Ice Hockey, University of New Hampshire
Sam DeFabrizio, Cross Country, Vanderbilt University
Derrick Gordon, Basketball, University of Massachusetts
Landon Foster, Football, University of Kentucky
Jasmin Guinn, Basketball, Track and Field, Academy of Art University
Joe Hulen, Wrestling, Truett-McConnell College
Morgan Jackson, Track/Cross Country, Georgia Institute of Technology
Kristen Long, Basketball, Wayne State University
Skyler Page Love, Basketball, University of North Carolina — Asheville
Liam Nadler, Football, Gannon University
Patrick Nuzzolese, Football, University of Dayton
Logan Paben, Football, Peru State College
Casey Skowron, Football, University of Arizona
Nick Weiler, Football, University of North Carolina
Finalists:
Bonnie Brandon, Swimming, University of Arizona
Malcolm Brogdon, Basketball, The University of Virginia
Ty Darlington, Football, University of Oklahoma
Alexa Hone, Soccer, University of South Carolina, Upstate
Lucas Romick, Football, Denison University
