Will Bruce of Williams College Wins Prestigious Coach Wooden Cup
Atlanta, GA – Williams senior ice hockey forward William Bruce (Nashville, TN/Montgomery Bell Academy) was named the winner of the 2008 Coach Wooden Cup at an awards banquet hosted by Athletes for a Better World tonight at the Ansley Golf Club in Atlanta.The Wooden Cup is presented to the most outstanding role model among collegiate and professional athletes. Bruce is the fourth collegiate winner of the award and tennis star Andrea Jaeger won the professional athlete award.
The Wooden Cup is given to a collegiate and a professional athlete who has made the greatest difference in the lives of others.
With Peyton Manning, John Smoltz and John Lynch as previous recipients, the Wooden Cup is becoming one of the most prestigious awards in sports. Recipients are considered role models and athletes of excellence both on and off the field.
Founded by Athletes for a Better World (ABW), a non-profit organization committed to changing the culture of American sports, the Wooden Cup is unique in that it is open to athletes in all collegiate and professional sports. Nominations come from every conference in the NCAA.
"This was a tremendous night for Williams College and Williams hockey," noted an excited Eph head hockey coach Bill Kangas. "The five finalists were all very impressive young men and women. Athletes for a Better World hosted a first class event and it was great to see one of our athletes being recognized as the collegiate role model for 2008. I could not be happier for Will or prouder of him."
"Great leaders often have great humility," noted coach Kangas. "The awards committee realized how strong a leader Will is and how effective he is at fostering teamwork in the rink and in the community."
Upon accepting the award Bruce was quick to thank his school, his coach, his parents and all of the Williams students he has worked with. "Williams College gave me a wonderful opportunity to play hockey and get involved in all aspects campus life and many community service projects; coach Kangas always encourages the team to take the lessons of teamwork outside the walls of the locker room and the rink to the community and my parents showed me by example what love, humility, honesty and kindness can do to change people's lives," said Bruce. "The student-athletes at Williams are special people who really become engaged in the community and I'm most thankful to have been involved with them."
Commenting afterwards on the night Bruce noted, "a great sense of humility at being around so many young people who are doing so much to make communities better – it was inspiring."
Bruce is co-president of the Lehman Service Council for community engagement and student chair of the Honor and Discipline Committee. He is the son of Lois and Bill Bruce of Nashville, Tenn.
