Theodore Roosevelt Award Explained

Theodore Roosevelt Award
Description:	A graduate from an NCAA member institution who earned a varsity letter in college for participation in intercollegiate athletics, and who ultimately became a distinguished citizen of national reputation based on outstanding life accomplishment
Presenter:	NCAA
Country:	United States
Year:	1967
Holder:	Tom Catena

The Theodore Roosevelt Award is the highest honor the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) may confer on an individual. The award is awarded annually to a graduate from an NCAA member institution who earned a varsity letter in college for participation in intercollegiate athletics, and who ultimately became a distinguished citizen of national reputation based on outstanding life accomplishment. Each awardee, by personal example, is said to exemplify the ideals and purposes to which collegiate athletics are dedicated.

The award, nicknamed "The Teddy," is named after U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, whose concern for the conduct of intercollegiate athletes and athletic programs led to the formation of the NCAA in 1906. Past winners include four former Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower (1967), Gerald R. Ford (1975), George H. W. Bush (1986), and Ronald Reagan (1990).

Past winners

• 1967: Dwight D. Eisenhower, United States Military Academy (football)^[1]
• 1968: Leverett Saltonstall, Harvard University (rowing)^[2]
• 1969: Byron "Whizzer" White, University of Colorado at Boulder (football, basketball)
• 1970: Frederick L. Hovde, University of Minnesota (football)^[3]
• 1971: Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (baseball)
• 1972: Jerome H. Holland, Cornell University (football)^[4]
• 1973: Omar Bradley, United States Military Academy (baseball)
• 1974: Jesse Owens, Ohio State University (track and field)^[5]
• 1975: Gerald Ford, University of Michigan (football)
• 1976: Thomas J. Hamilton, United States Naval Academy (football, basketball, baseball)^[6]
• 1977: Tom Bradley, University of California, Los Angeles (track, football)
• 1978: Gerald B. Zornow, University of Rochester (football, basketball, baseball)^[7]
• 1979: Otis Chandler, Stanford University (track and field)
• 1980: Denton Cooley, University of Texas at Austin (basketball)^[8]
• 1981: Art Linkletter, San Diego State University (basketball, swimming)
• 1982: Bill Cosby, Temple University (football) - Rescinded by the NCAA in 2018 after multiple allegations and convictions of sexual assault.
• 1983: Arnold Palmer, Wake Forest University (golf)
• 1984: William P. Lawrence, United States Naval Academy (basketball, football, tennis)^[9]
  • 1985: Robben Fleming, Beloit College 1986: George H. W. Bush, Yale University (baseball)
• 1987: Walter J. Zable, The College of William & Mary (football)^[10]
• 1988: Not presented
• 1989: Paul Ebert, Ohio State University (baseball, basketball)^[11]
• 1990: Ronald Reagan, Eureka College (football)^[12]
• 1991: Althea Gibson, Florida A&M University (tennis)^[13]
• 1992: Jack Kemp, Occidental College (football)
• 1993: Lamar Alexander, Vanderbilt University (track and field)
• 1994: Rafer Johnson, University of California, Los Angeles (track and field)^[14]
• 1995: Bob Mathias, Stanford University (track and field)^[15]
• 1996: John Wooden, Purdue University (basketball)^[16]
• 1997: William Porter Payne, University of Georgia (football)^[17]
• 1998: Bob Dole, Washburn University (basketball)^[18]
• 1999: Bill Richardson, Tufts University (baseball)^[19]
• 2000: Roger Staubach, United States Naval Academy (football)
• 2001: William Cohen, Bowdoin College (basketball)^[20]
• 2002: Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Stanford University (swimming, track and field)^[21]
• 2003: Donna de Varona, University of California, Los Angeles (swimming)^[22]
• 2004: Alan Page, University of Notre Dame (football)^[23]
• 2005: Sally Ride, Stanford University (tennis)^[24]
• 2006: Robert Kraft, Columbia University (football)^[25]
• 2007: Paul Tagliabue, Georgetown University (basketball)^[26]
• 2008: John Glenn, Muskingum College^[27]
• 2009: Madeleine Albright, Wellesley College (swimming, rowing, and field hockey)^[28]
• 2010: George J. Mitchell, Bowdoin College (basketball)^[29]
• 2011: Ann E. Dunwoody, SUNY Cortland (gymnastics, tennis)^[30]
• 2012: Will Allen, University of Miami (basketball)^[31]
• 2013: Tony Dungy, University of Minnesota (football)^[32]
• 2014: Billy Mills, Haskell Indian Nations University and University of Kansas (track and field)^[33]
• 2015: Mannie Jackson, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (basketball)^[34]
• 2016: Peter Ueberroth, San Jose State University (water polo)^[35]
• 2017: Beth Brooke-Marciniak, Purdue University (women's basketball)^[36]
• 2018: Barry E. Wilmore, Tennessee Technological University (football)^[37]
• 2019: Robert L. Caslen, United States Military Academy (football)^[38]
• 2020: Bob Delaney, New Jersey City University (basketball)^[39]
• 2021: John McLendon, Tennessee State University (basketball)^[40]
• 2022: Gail Koziara Boudreaux, Dartmouth College (basketball)^[41]
• 2023: Carol L. Shields, University of Notre Dame (basketball)^[42]
• 2024: Tom Catena, Brown University (football)^[43]

See also

• Walter Camp Man of the Year
• Walter Camp Distinguished American Award
• Walter Camp Alumni of the Year
• Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
• National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award
• National Football Foundation Gold Medal Winners
• Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
• "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award

Notes and References

1. News: EISENHOWER GETS NEW SPORTS PRIZE; N.C.A.A. Chooses Him for Theodore Roosevelt Award. 1967-01-04. The New York Times. 2020-01-26. en-US. 0362-4331.
2. Web site: Ivy@50. ivy50.com. 2020-01-26.
3. Web site: Frederick L. Hovde - General. National Football Foundation. en. 2020-01-26.
4. Web site: Our Campaigns - Candidate - Jerome H. Holland. www.ourcampaigns.com. 2020-01-26.
5. Book: David K. Wiggins. African Americans in Sports. 26 March 2015. Routledge. 978-1-317-47744-0. 272–.
6. Web site: Thomas J. Hamilton - General. National Football Foundation. en. 2020-01-26.
7. Web site: Gerald B. Zornow - General. National Football Foundation. en. 2020-01-26.
8. Web site: Legends and landmarks: Dr. Denton Cooley. University of Texas Athletics. September 2010 . en. 2020-01-26.
9. Web site: William P. Lawrence Jr. - General. National Football Foundation. en. 2020-01-26.
10. Web site: Walter J. Zable - General. National Football Foundation. en. 2020-01-26.
11. Web site: Sports Digest. UPI. en. 2020-01-26.
12. Web site: Graham to Participate in Ronald Reagan Centennial Coin Toss. Bishop. Tate Zeigleror Kevin. United States Senator Lindsey Graham. en. 2020-01-26.
13. Web site: GIBSON WINS THEODORE ROOSEVELT AWARD. 1991-01-09. Deseret News. en. 2020-01-26.
14. Web site: Rafer Johnson to Get a 'Teddy'. 1994-01-09. Los Angeles Times. en-US. 2020-01-26.
15. Web site: 6-4-1 Irish can still fill the (dollar) bill for bowls. JACKMAN. PHIL. baltimoresun.com. 21 December 1994 . en-US. 2020-01-26.
16. Web site: Another Honor for List : Wooden Gets Award but Wants to Talk Pants. 1996-01-08. Los Angeles Times. en-US. 2020-01-26.
17. Web site: William Payne (1968) - Hall of Fame. National Football Foundation. en. 2020-01-26.
18. Web site: Senior Statesman. Dole Institute of Politics. en-US. 2020-01-26.
19. Web site: TTU's Wilmore Awarded NCAA's Highest Honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Award. ovcsports.com. en. 2020-01-26.
20. Web site: William S. Cohen. cohengroup.net. 2020-01-26.
21. Web site: CNN.com - Eunice Shriver recovers from hip surgery - August 21, 2002. edition.cnn.com. 2020-01-26.
22. Web site: Donna de Varona To Receive Theodore Roosevelt Award. UCLA. en. 2020-01-26.
23. Web site: Alan Page Named The 2003 NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award Honoree. 2003-12-08. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website. en-US. 2020-01-26.
24. Web site: Former astronaut Sally Ride to receive NCAA Roosevelt Award. 2004-12-02. Plainview Daily Herald. 2020-01-26.
25. Web site: Robert Kraft Recipient of NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award. Columbia University Athletics. en. 2020-01-26.
26. Web site: Paul Tagliabue to Receive NCAA's Teddy Roosevelt Award. Georgetown University Athletics. 2 November 2006 . en. 2020-01-26.
27. Web site: John H. Glenn Jr. Receives NCAA's Highest Award. Muskingum University. 29 September 2017 . en. 2020-01-26.
28. Madeleine Korbel Albright '59 Returns to Wellesley to Accept NCAA Award. 2010-01-20. Wellesley. en. 2020-01-26.
29. Web site: Bowdoin Alum Mitchell '54, Former U.S. Senator, Named NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award Winner. 2009-12-10. NESCAC. en. 2020-01-26.
30. Web site: Gen. Ann Dunwoody '75 Receives NCAA's Highest Honor - SUNY Cortland. www2.cortland.edu. 2020-01-26.
31. Web site: Will Allen - University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. UM Sports Hall of Fame. en. 2020-01-26.
32. Web site: President Kaler To Present NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award To Tony Dungy. University of Minnesota Athletics. en. 2020-01-26.
33. Web site: NCAA honors KU legend Billy Mills. Staff Reports. 2013-12-07. KUsports.com. en. 2020-01-14.
34. Web site: Mannie Jackson: 2015 Theodore Roosevelt Award Honoree. 22 December 2014 . NCAA. January 24, 2017.
35. Web site: 2016 NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award: Peter Ueberroth. 16 December 2015 . NCAA. January 24, 2017.
36. Web site: 2017 Theodore Roosevelt Award: Beth Brooke-Marciniak. 12 January 2017 . NCAA. January 24, 2017.
37. Web site: 2018 Theodore Roosevelt Award: Capt. Barry "Butch" Wilmore . 7 December 2017 . NCAA. June 4, 2019.
38. Web site: 2019 Theodore Roosevelt Award: Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr. . 13 December 2018 . NCAA. June 4, 2019.
39. Web site: NJCU Legend Bob Delaney '85 to Receive NCAA's Highest Honor: The Theodore Roosevelt Award. njacsports.com. 17 December 2019 . en. 2020-01-26.
40. Web site: Johnson . Greg . 2021 Theodore Roosevelt Award: John McLendon . 6 January 2021 . NCAA . 10 December 2021.
41. Web site: McGuire . Corbin . 2022 Theodore Roosevelt Award: Gail Koziara Boudreaux . 13 January 2022 . NCAA . 5 August 2022.
42. Web site: Myers . Massillon . 2023 Theodore Roosevelt Award: Carol Lally Shields . 7 December 2022 . NCAA . December 22, 2022.
43. Web site: Tom Catena '86 Named 2024 NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award Recipient.