The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women's Basketball's Boyette recognized with Haier Achievement Award
01.28.2016 | Women's Basketball
Prestigious award is presented to deserving student-athletes for their accomplishments beyond sports.
AUSTIN, Texas — University of Texas women's basketball senior Imani Boyette has been selected as a recipient of the Haier Achievement Award, which is presented to deserving student-athletes for their accomplishments beyond sports.
The announcement of this year's sixth Haier Achievement Award recipient was made by John Homlish, Senior Vice President and Business Unit Leader of Digital Living for Haier America and Doug Vance, Executive Director of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
"The Haier Achievement Award program brings to light those student-athletes who have achieved success beyond sports," Homlish said. "By recognizing eight student-athletes with inspirational stories throughout the year, we hope to further motivate other young people to achieve and succeed both on and off the field. By bringing to light Imani's story of courage and overcoming personal obstacles, we hope to inspire other young people."
Haier will officially recognize Boyette with an on-court presentation at the February 20 Texas vs Baylor men's basketball game. In addition to awarding her with a plaque, Haier will donate $2,000 to the University of Texas general scholarship fund and award a Haier 48-inch LED HD television to the school's athletic department.
"Every time I receive an award I am extremely humbled," Boyette said. "But I am especially grateful for this award. The purpose behind this award embodies why I volunteer and openly share my story. My goal has always been to inspire others to get out and get involved. I want to thank UT Athletics for giving me this platform, and Haier and CoSIDA for the award."
Boyette, a senior accounting major at the University of Texas, has an incredible story of overcoming significant obstacles to achieve great success on the basketball court, in the classroom and within the community. She has been recognized with the Honda Inspiration Award and was named the 2014-15 Big 12 Conference Female Sportsperson of the Year. Last month, she was selected as a 2015 recipient of the prestigious Texas Exes President's Leadership Award, which is presented to undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership within the student community at the University of Texas.
As a survivor of suicide attempts and molestation at a young age, Boyette used poetry, basketball and her experiences at the University of Texas to overcome a turbulent youth. In middle school, she discovered poetry as a release to put emotions, memories and experiences on paper. She was immersed in the arts as a youngster and competing in local "slam poetry" competitions in Austin helped Boyette express her emotions. Telling her story has allowed Boyette to inspire countless young women to overcome similar circumstances.
"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 has become an inspiration not only for our program, but for women all over the world."
Boyette ranks 26th on Texas' all-time career scoring list with 1,230 career points. She is third on the school's all-time career blocks list with 268 and is just the ninth person in program history to record 900 career rebounds, ranking ninth with 916. With 84 more rebounds, Boyette would become the first player in program history to record more than 1,000 career points, more than 1,000 career rebounds and more than 200 career blocks.
Boyette was the 2012-13 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year and is a multi-time All-Big 12 selection, including a first-team nod last season. She was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team a year ago.
Student-athletes from all sports, all schools, and all divisions are eligible for the Haier Achievement Award. Members of CoSIDA and fans can nominate student-athletes at www.HaierAchievement.com. Haier will announce eight (8) honorees throughout the year and in March invite fans to vote online for the Haier Ultimate Achievement Award winner. The winner will earn his/her school a $5,000 donation to the general scholarship fund and a Haier 48-inch LED HD television. Additionally, all fans who vote will be entered into a drawing to win a Haier 48-inch LED HD TV. Kelly Thomson (Kansas State University), a junior women's basketball player; Megan Fish (University of Central Florida), a senior women's soccer player; Malcolm Mitchell (University of Georgia), a senior football player; swimmer Emily Fogle (Purdue University); and Femi Hollinger-Franzen (Indiana University) men's soccer player are the other Haier Achievement Award honorees recognized thus far this year.
ABOUT HAIER: Haier America (www.haieramerica.com) is a subsidiary of Haier Group, the world's No. 1 major appliance brand as ranked by Euromonitor International 2014, and a global leader in consumer electronics. Haier employs more than 60,000 people around the world and distributes products in more than 100 countries and regions with global revenues reaching $32.6 billion in 2014.
ABOUT CoSIDA: CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America, www.cosida.com) was founded in 1957 and is a 3,000-plus member national organization comprised of sports public relations, media relations and communications/information professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the U.S. and Canada. CoSIDA has two primary missions: 1) Assist communications and public relations professionals at all collegiate levels with professional development and continuing education, 2) Play a significant leadership and resource role within the overall collegiate athletics enterprise, thus helping other management groups and their respective memberships deal with the set of communications-based issues that is the most complex and challenging in history.
