March 3, 2009
CARY, N.C. - San Diego State senior guard Kelvin Davis has been named one of 12 finalists for ninth annual V Foundation Comeback Award, The V Foundation for Cancer Research announced Tuesday. The award is presented in conjunction with ESPN and the recipient will be announced during ESPN's basketball Final Four/NIT weekend coverage.
Davis, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma shortly after the 2007-08 season, went through chemotherapy and radiation treatments during the summer and into the early part of the 2008-09 basketball campaign. Despite his health status, the senior from Waterbury, Conn., returned to the team and has played in eight games this season.
In addition to Davis, the other finalists are Suzanne Albert (Felician College), Jermaine Bishop (Northern Arizona), Joe Ford (Pacific), Jerika Jenkins (Hampton), Brooke Johnson (Western Carolina), Cait McMahan (Tennessee), the Ole Miss men's basketball team, Eleia Roddy (Kentucky), Dana Pernell Smith II (Longwood), Tiffara Steward (Farmingdale State) and Azania Stewart (Florida).
The annual award is open to men and women collegiate basketball student-athletes in all divisions. It is awarded to an individual or a team who has accomplished a personal triumph in the face of true adversity, be it in health, life or moral dilemma. Student-athletes are nominated by their athletics department representative.
The award is presented in memory of Jim Valvano, the late basketball coach and ESPN commentator, whose personal battle with cancer inspired the creation of The V Foundation. In his memorable speech at ESPN's inaugural ESPY Awards announcing the creation of The V Foundation, Valvano's "Don't Give Up. . .Don't Ever Give Up!" motto created a legacy from which the Comeback Award was created.
"We continue to be amazed at the strength and resilience of the student-athletes who are nominated for The V Foundation Comeback Award," said V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano. "These young people are outstanding student-athletes who have faced adversity and challenges with incredible determination and strength."
"This is the ninth year of the award, and, once again, the nominees capture the "Never Give Up" spirit of The V Foundation," Valvano continued. "I would be honored to have my brother"s name be remembered with each and every one of them."
The 2009 recipient will be selected by an eight-member sub-committee of The V Foundation Board of Directors. Past recipients of the award are Purdue's Katie Douglas (2001), Western Michigan's Kristin Koetsier (2002), Arizona State's Justin Allen (2003), Texas' Jamie Carey (2004), Washington's Kayla Burt (2005), Western Washington's Grant Dykstra (2006), the United States Military Academy Women's Basketball Team (2007), and Drexel University's Nicole Hester (2008).
The V Foundation for Cancer Research
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, The Foundation has raised more than $80 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all new direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation, which has received six consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Board. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.