Charlotte, NC – The NJCAA Foundation has announced the inaugural Awards Dinner to recognize exemplary achievements from the association on Friday, June 12. To coincide with the Awards Dinner, the National Office has also announced the creation of the NJCAA Hall of Fame, made possible by the Foundation with its inaugural class to be recognized at the event.
The Awards Dinner and Hall of Fame ceremony will be held at the Hilton Charlotte Center City at 6:30 PM ET. Along with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the Awards Dinner will honor the association's three annual individual student-athlete awards – the Betty Jo Graber Female Student-Athlete of the Year, the David Rowlands Male Student-Athlete of the Year, and the Lea Plarski Award.
Two additional awards will be recognized for the first time in the history of the association as well – the Champion Award that honors a member or former member of the NJCAA community who exemplifies resilience, excellence, and passion and the Difference Maker Award that honors a supporter of the NJCAA and the NJCAA Foundation in its endeavors.
The event will be headlined by keynote speaker Shawn Marion, an NJCAA alum and 16-year NBA veteran. A two-year NJCAA All-America selection at Vincennes (IN), Marion was named the 1997-98 NJCAA David Rowlands Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Following a 
successful junior college campaign, Marion moved on to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for one year before the Phoenix Suns selected the forward ninth overall in the 1999 NBA Draft. Marion's professional career included four NBA All-Star selections and the 2011 NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks.
Marion most recently returned to Vincennes on January 15 where the program honored the former Trailblazer with a special ceremony at halftime of the team's home game. Marion, whose iconic No. 31 jersey hangs in the rafters of the P.E. Complex, was inducted into the NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
During the special ceremony at Vincennes, Marion reflected on his two-year run that included a pair of NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship appearances in Hutchinson, KS. "It meant a lot. This is where I started my career. This was the foundation of me going to the league after I left here. It's a touching moment."
Designed to support the overall mission of the NJCAA, the NJCAA Hall of Fame seeks to honor individuals who have paved the way for opportunities at the two-year level – athletically, academically, and those who have impacted the association through other areas of influence. Inductees to the Hall of Fame include administrators, coaches, student-athletes, and meritorious contributors.
"The current state of the NJCAA is for naught without the storied history of the association," stated Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President & CEO. "The individuals who have set the standard for success in the NJCAA deserve the recognition at the highest of levels. As an organization, we look forward to honoring those who have not only achieved so much, but made contributions to better the association along the way."
Gary Broadhurst, Athletic Director at Mohawk Valley (NY) will serve as the Chair of the NJCAA Hall of Fame Selection Committee. Broadhurst currently serves on both the NJCAA Foundation as well as the NJCAA Board of Regents. Along with Broadhurst, the committee will consist of 14 contributing members including a vice chair, seven members of the NJCAA Board of Regents, three members of the NJCAA Foundation, and three members of the NJCAA National Office staff.
Tickets for the event are $125 each which includes dinner, program, and onsite parking. Sponsor packages are also available. To register for the 2020 NJCAA Foundation Awards: Register
For more information regarding the NJCAA Foundation Awards Dinner, visit: NJCAA Foundation Awards Dinner Home