Toledo Collegiate Challenge
Shante' White Named Finalist for Giant Steps Award
3/30/2013 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo women's track and field athlete Shante' White has been named as one of four collegiate women to earn the annual Giant Steps Award. White was chosen from among a national pool of nominees received by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) and was named to courageous student-athletes list.
In the recently concluded 2013 indoor track and field season, White won the Mid-American Conference championship in the women's weight throw as she obliterated the UB record and her personal best with a winning toss of 69-8 (21.23m), adding more than six feet to her previous best and breaking Faith Thompson's UB record by more than four feet. She later earned second-team All-America honors with her 15th-place finish at the NCAA National Indoor Championships.
Giant Steps Awards are given to individuals who exemplify the meaning of National STUDENT-Athlete Day, who use sport to make positive social change, and who help student-athletes succeed in all aspects of their lives. The awards are not limited to student-athletes but aim to honor professional athletes, athletics administrators, civic leaders, coaches, community organizations and those who give back to the community through the spirit of athletics.
White is the second UB athlete to earn the prestigious honor. All-American thrower Jake Madonia was selected to the list in 2009.
"Shante' being selected as one of the four finalists for the Courageous Student-Athlete Award is wonderful," said women's track and field head coach Vicki Mitchell. "This is a true testament to what Shante' has persevered through and accomplished. She has not let barriers get in the way of her success; instead she's looking for ways to remove those barriers and excel under the most challenging of circumstances. Knowing that former UB standout student-athlete Jake Madonia won this award in 2009, Shante' being selected as a finalist has special meaning to us."
