Elon Men’s Basketball: Dawkins Named to 2018 NABC Give Back Team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Elon University men’s basketball redshirt senior forward Brian Dawkins has been named to the 2018 NABC Give Back Team, as announced by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

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Dawkins is one of five NCAA Division I student-athletes and 10 men’s college basketball players overall selected to the team, which recognizes student-athletes for their outstanding community service efforts. The 10 student-athletes were selected from a group of 69 nominated by college coaches and sports information directors across the country.

The Jacksonville, Fla., native has been involved in numerous community service activities throughout his entire career as a Phoenix. Dawkins capped off his involvement this past season as he took part in the Healthy Alamance project in January 2018 and volunteered with Elon BRAINCare during the summer and fall of 2017. While participating in Healthy Alamance, Dawkins spent 100 hours assisting a local co-op with community partnerships and programming. Additionally, he volunteered with Elon BRAINCare during the summer and fall of 2017, working with Elon University’s exercise science department research group to promote concussion awareness among high school and college athletes. Dawkins assisted with baseline cognitive testing for more than 100 student-athletes during the project.

Dawkins made a major impact in the local community as well as on campus throughout his career. He was involved in Village Project Tutoring, where he and his teammates assist local children with classroom activities such as reading, writing and basic math. Dawkins also assisted the local Special Olympics, helping to administer regional games and encourage participants. Throughout his career, Dawkins has been involved in CHAMPS clinic, an after school sports clinic for local children in Alamance County, teaching students the fundamentals of basketball and competition. Dawkins also participated in the Harvest Baptist Church Sport Clinic during his career. Furthermore, has also been involved with local elementary schools at Turrentine and Smith, joining the team making appearances at the school’s pep rallies and assemblies to speak to the importance of education and physical fitness.

He also joined his teammates with several other community outreach events on campus, such as Elon’s annual ELONTHON, which is a dance marathon that raises money for pediatric cancer research for Duke Children’s Hospital. Other activities include Elon Athletics Thank-a-Thon, and the Student-Athletic Advisory Committee Blood Drive.

The 2018 Give Back Team includes five student-athletes from NCAA Division I and five from NCAA Division II and III and NAIA Division I and II, selected from a group of 69 nominated by college coaches and sports information directors across the country.

Along with Dawkins, Shawn Anderson of the United States Naval Academy, Justin Johnson of Western Kentucky University, Desmond Ringer of Mercer University and Osinachi Smart of the College of Charleston all represent the team member from NCAA Division I.

Representing NCAA Division II-III and the NAIA are Alec Andrews of the California Institute of Technology, Seth Hawley of the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Carnegie Mellon University’s Ryan Maha, Nick Mutebi of Wayne State University and Tyler Robinson of Lyon College.

“The NABC Give Back Team provides an opportunity to recognize the exceptional selfless humanitarian acts performed by men’s college basketball student-athletes,” said NABC Executive Director Jim Haney. “The 10 young men selected for this honor have made significant contributions to assist those in need while helping lift the human spirit.”

More information about the NABC Give Back Team is available at www.nabc.org.

2018 NABC Give Back Team (NCAA Division I)
Shawn Anderson, Navy
Brian Dawkins, Elon
Justin Johnson, Western Kentucky
Desmond Ringer, Mercer
Osinachi Smart, College of Charleston

2018 NABC Give Back Team (Division II, Division III, NAIA)
Alec Andrews, California Institute of Technology
Seth Hawley, University of Arkansas Fort Smith
Ryan Maha, Carnegie Mellon
Nick Mutebi, Wayne State,
Tyler Robinson, Lyon College

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest “Phog” Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.