Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University Athletics tied for second place in the 2022 NCAA Division II Award of Excellence competition, officials announced at the NCAA national convention Saturday. The Award of Excellence recognizes initiatives in the past year that exemplify the D2 philosophy of community engagement and student-athlete leadership. The Bulldogs were honored for participation in the 28th annual United Way Day of Caring. The tie for second place (with the CIAA) is Wingate's highest finish in the competition.
 
The University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs won the top prize for their work with the Green Bandana Project and mental health awareness. The CIAA was recognized for its Virtual Vibe: Tournament Edition, held in response to the cancellation of the league's 2021 basketball championships. Wingate and the CIAA will receive $1,250 each for the second-place finishes. Prize money is intended for future Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) initiatives or community engagement events.
 
What They Are Saying
Kelley Kish, Wingate University director of athletics
 
"It is always a great day when Wingate brings home an NCAA trophy, this time from Indianapolis and the NCAA national convention. Second place in the 2022 Division II Award of Excellence is very special, as our student-athletes and staff are recognized for living the values of the NCAA Division II philosophy of community engagement and leadership. We would like to recognize and salute sharing the honor of second place with our neighbors, conference members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Our Bulldog family is proud to have the national spotlight on Wingate University, Union County and the United Way Day of Caring."
 
Ivy Allen, United Way of Central Carolinas regional development director (Union and Anson Counties)
 
"Congratulations to Wingate University Athletics on a well-deserved honor. The United Way Day of Caring has seen tremendous growth since our humble beginnings almost three decades ago. Wingate University has been involved in this partnership from the very beginning. (WU president) Dr. Rhett Brown and his team are fantastic community partners. I can't think of the United Way Day of Caring without Wingate University."
 
Giving Back
 
The United Way Day of Caring (UWDOC) is held the last Saturday in August. UWDOC volunteers assist community members and non-profits with household upkeep and other projects. The Wingate women's basketball team worked at the Community Shelter of Union County.

"It means so much to our team to give back," Wingate sophomore women's basketball student-athlete Peyton Davis says. "We receive so much during our season. We are provided with all of the little things that truly make this experience once-in-a-lifetime…we don't provide all of these wonderful things. It's our Wingate community…so being able to give back is just a small way to show everyone how grateful we are for everything they are doing."
 
"Whether it is small or big, the Community Shelter of Union County makes a difference and so giving back and volunteering is just our way to remind them we are grateful, but the cool thing about it was it reminded us that we should be so grateful for everything that we have," Davis says.
 
Stepping up
 
Two hundred seventy-three Bulldog student-athletes participated in the 2021 edition of the United Way Day of Caring. When a local corporation had to pull its volunteers at the last minute, head coach Tim Boyle and the Wingate men's lacrosse team stepped forward to cover the six unattended projects.
 
Twenty Bulldogs volunteered at the Wingate Community Garden, while the remainder of the roster visited the homes of five local senior citizens. "This was a great opportunity to connect with our local community through the United Way Day of Caring," Wingate graduate student men's lacrosse player Mike DiLegge says.
 
"For our team especially, we have guys from all over the country, so it was an awesome experience to touch base with the local Bulldog fans," DiLegge says. "We are so thankful to be able to give back to our community as Coach Boyle always preaches. Service is a big part of who we are as Wingate Lacrosse players…we strive to build our character every day."
 
New adventures
 
Third-year director of cross country, track & field and triathlon Matthew van Lierop and his 125 track and XC student-athletes had not participated in the United Way Day of Caring during his tenure. The Bulldogs covered 12 projects. In addition, Bulldog All-American jumper Darius 'Dash' Weathers and six of his fraternity brothers volunteered at the home of two senior citizens.
 
"One of the many reasons I love attending Wingate is because the University provides us with many opportunities, like the United Way Day of Caring, to give back to our local community," sophomore distance specialist Brooklyn Pierce says. "Volunteering as a team is an incredible way to bond with your teammates on a new level and appreciate the people you have around you."
 
Looking back and looking forward
 
When Davis and her women's basketball teammates finished their morning at the Community Shelter of Union County, they had an opportunity to reflect. "After we got finished with our jobs for the day, we sat around and we each individually said something that was positive about the day and something for which we were grateful," Davis says.
 
"It was truly touching to see everyone come together and recognize the blessings in the day," Davis adds. "God has given us legs to run, a court to run on, a ball to play with, but off the court, God has blessed us with an incredible community who supports us every game…so no matter how much we serve, we would never be able to truly show our appreciation, but we are certainly going to continue to try! The United Way Day of Caring is truly a neat experience that puts a lot of things in perspective for our team."
 
NCAA Division II Award of Excellence
 
Division II honors its members each year for conducting events that promote student-athletes giving back and serving as leaders within their communities or on their campuses. A committee of athletics administrators determined this year's finalists. The Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee selected the winners, who were announced at the Division II business session Saturday, Jan. 22 at the 2022 NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.
 
Each finalist receives $500. The winner receives an additional $2,500, while the runner-up receives $1,250 and third place receives $1,000. All prize money is intended for future Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) initiatives or community engagement events.
 
United Way Day of Caring 2021 numbers
 
- 800+ Union County volunteers
- 311 Wingate University volunteers
- 273 Bulldog participants in 2021
- 125 WU Track and Field student-athlete volunteers
- 70+ project sites
 
United Way Day of Caring 2021 volunteers
Wingate University Athletics

- Women's Basketball
- Men's Lacrosse
- Softball
- Men's Tennis
- Women's Tennis
- Men's Track and Field (including XC)
- Women's Track and Field (including XC)
 
Wingate University
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as eight master's and five doctoral degrees. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; and the College of Professional Studies, which includes the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Wingate is a leader in healthcare education, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 24 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 13 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.