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| Patrick Mohorcic |
Athletes for a Better World Release
The College of Wooster's Patrick Mohorcic was named as one of four finalists in the collegiate division for the 14th Annual Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, as announced by Athletes for a Better World late Wednesday. Named for legendary hall of fame basketball coach John Wooden, the Wooden Cup is given to the most outstanding role model among athletes.
"It's an honor to be considered one of the best role models in all of college sports," said Mohorcic. "I'm humbled and excited to represent Wooster on a national stage once again."
"We are so proud of Patrick for this amazing accolade," added head coach Frank Colaprete. "Helping others is something Patrick has always been committed to and will continue to be. He is a selfless young man who constantly puts others needs ahead of his own."
Mohorcic's far-reaching efforts have made a profound impact, and his passion for pursing multiple interests have only added to the senior's college experience.
On campus, Mohorcic's work with the student organization Men Working for Change stands out at the top of his profile. With the help of Mohorcic's guidance and influence, the student organization helped sponsor several campus-wide events, including the athletic department's "It's On Us" pledge, which encourages peers and bystanders to create a campus environment that makes sexual assault unacceptable. Additionally, Mohorcic helped lead bystander intervention training discussions through the OneLove Foundation.
Elsewhere on campus, Mohorcic co-founded ScotsCare, an organization with a vision to develop a positive connection between Wooster athletic programs and students with special needs within the Wooster community. He also explored the social change model of leadership as a student in the College's semester-long weekly student leadership institute.
Off campus, Mohorcic's profile features a host of internships and volunteer opportunities, most notably his internship with the Village of Fairport Harbor through the competitive Cleveland Foundation Summer Internship Program. The political science major has held several internship positions in a variety of political settings during his time at the College as well.
On the field, the three-year starting offensive lineman capped his career with all-conference honors. Mohorcic spent the last two years as the Scots' starting center, and was an integral part of an offensive unit that set numerous school records including new team benchmarks for single-season passing yards, touchdowns, and efficiency points in 2017.
Earlier in the school year, Mohorcic was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® and won the ensuing fan vote for the captain of the team. As the team's captain, Mohorcic was interviewed live on ESPN during the Home Depot College Football Awards, and traveled to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La.
"Patrick has been an extraordinary member of The College of Wooster community," said Sarah Bolton, Wooster's president. "His leadership through service has made a powerful impact in the lives of both Wooster students and the children in our city. He has not only changed things for the better, he has inspired others as well. We are honored to have Patrick as a student, and we are absolutely delighted that he is a finalist for the Wooden Cup."
The collegiate Wooden Cup winner will be announced at an award ceremony that will be held on Wednesday, April 25 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Ga.
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| Wooden Cup |
The Wooden Cup is awarded annually to a collegiate athlete, a professional or Olympic athlete, and the one male and one female National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association national scholarship winner. The award is named in honor of John Wooden, one of the most revered coaches in the history of sports. Wooden coached the University of California, Los Angeles men's basketball team for 27 seasons and won 10 national championships while posting an .804 winning percentage. Wooden's legacy as a person of integrity, high moral character, compassion, and civic-mindedness are as synonymous as his on-court legacy, and to this day, he's one of the most admired coaches in the history of sport. The award, which is presented by the nonprofit organization Athletes for a Better World, is open to all collegiate athletes at all levels of the NCAA.
Past professional and Olympic recipients of the Wooden Cup include Jack Nicklaus, Pat Summitt, Dikembe Mutombo, Drew Brees, Mia Hamm, Peyton Manning, John Smoltz, John Lynch, Andrea Jaeger, Shannon Miller, Cal Ripken, Jr., Vince Dooley, and Dick Vitale. This year's recipient in the professional and Olympic category is Johann Koss, a four-time Olympic gold medalist speed skater, and founder of the Canadian-based international humanitarian organization Right To Play.
Notable, Lucas Romick was the collegiate recipient of the 2016 Wooden Cup, and he was a two-sport student-athlete at North Coast Athletic Conference peer Denison University.
The three other collegiate finalists for the award are University of Pennsylvania's Ashley Marcus (fencing), University of Redlands' Hannah Menk (soccer), and Marist College's Stephen Rizzo (cross country and track & field).