The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
12.11.2015 | Women's Basketball
Award recognizes undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership within the student community
AUSTIN, Texas – Senior Texas center Imani Boyette has been named a 2015 recipient of the Texas Exes President's Leadership Award, the University of Texas alumni group announced on Friday.
Created in 1985 with an endowment from past Texas Exes president Frank Denius, this award recognizes undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership within the student community at the University of Texas. One sophomore, two juniors and three seniors receive the award annually.
Boyette will receive her award at a luncheon that will take place on May 9, 2016.
Boyette has overcome great obstacles to achieve success on and off the court, while serving as a tremendous role model.
Her personal journey has previously been recognized with both the Honda Inspiration Award – a national honor presented to the most inspiring women's student-athlete in all levels of college athletics - and the 2014-15 Big 12 Female Sports Person of the Year accolade.
As a survivor of suicide attempts and molestation at a young age, Boyette has used poetry, basketball and her experiences at the University of Texas to overcome a turbulent youth.
"Watching Imani grow as a young woman has been one of the true highlights of my coaching career," Texas head coach Karen Aston said. "She's an amazing talent on the court, but her courage and perseverance have been the true measure of her growth. Imani's resolve, perseverance and effort has become an inspiration, not only for our program, but also for women all over the world."
On the court, Boyette has joined an elite group of great Texas players in the all-time record book. She is one of just 40 players in UT history to have scored 1,000 career points and she currently ranks fifth in school history with 212 blocked shots. She is leading the Longhorns this season in both scoring (13.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.6 rpg).
Boyette was a first-team All-Big 12 selection a year ago and is an All-America candidate. She is completing her accounting degree in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas.
