Anderson to Receive Hartford HealthCare Courage Award

 

HARTFORD, Conn. - The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), in association with Hartford HealthCare, Connecticut's most comprehensive healthcare network, have selected Katelyn Mann, a senior swimmer at Central Connecticut State University, and Jacob Anderson, a sophomore lacrosse player for Mitchell College, as recipients of the Hartford HealthCare Connecticut Courage Award. At a pair of ceremonies on Tuesday, March 10, the program's ambassador, Rebecca Lobo, will present each of the honorees with a plaque and their schools with a $1,250 donation to the general scholarship funds in their names to help future students achieve their dreams. 

 

Each month, two inspiring student-athletes who have demonstrated courage in the face of adversity-such as overcoming injury, illness or other challenges-are recognized as Hartford HealthCare Connecticut Courage Award Winners. A panel of writers, editors and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and College Hoops Illustrated, as well as Ms. Lobo, select the honorees. Hartford HealthCare is donating a total of $15,000 to the general scholarship funds for the student-athletes being honored throughout the year.

 

Previous winners this year have included: Taylor Herd, a senior guard on the Quinnipiac University women's basketball team; Chris Liggio, a senior running back for the University of New Haven football team; Samara Johnson, a member of the Eastern Connecticut State University cross-country and track & field teams; Ace McAlister, a member of the Trinity College cross-country and track & field teams; Sam Kramer, a senior point guard for the Fairfield University women's basketball team; and Eli Thomas, a senior football player for the University of Connecticut. Their full stories are available at www.HHCCourageAward.com

 

Less than three months into his freshman year in October 2018 at Mitchell College, Anderson suffered a stroke and hours later underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. After just two weeks of rest and rehabilitation at home in New Milford, Conn., he returned to campus to complete the semester and begin preparing for the spring lacrosse season. The 5-foot-11-inch, 155-pound midfielder became a major contributor for the Mariners last season, scoring two goals in each of his first two career games and finishing his freshman campaign with 14 goals and 7 assists in just 12 games. Jacob's sophomore season ended abruptly, in the first game of the season versus Farmingdale State, when he tore both his ACL and MCL in his left knee. He underwent surgery on Feb. 28 and plans to return better than ever in 2021.

 

"Hartford HealthCare is excited to recognize these two remarkable young student-athletes, who despite setbacks, have overcome challenges to continue to perform their best as both scholars and athletes," says Jeffrey A. Flaks, president and chief executive officer of Hartford HealthCare. "Our organization's purpose is to help people live their healthiest lives, and both Katelyn and Jacob's courageous stories of recovery and perseverance are an inspiration to all."

 

Sports information directors at all colleges and universities in Connecticut can nominate deserving male and female intercollegiate student-athletes through March 30, 2020, at HartfordHealthCareCourageAward.com.

 

"We thank Hartford HealthCare for helping us create a platform to share the personal stories of courage for student-athletes at colleges and universities throughout Connecticut," says Doug Vance, executive director of CoSIDA. "We hope the stories of the personal challenges that these remarkable young men and women have battled can inspire other young people to show courage in the face of adversity in their own lives."

 

As the Hartford HealthCareCourage Award Ambassador, Ms. Lobo will attend award ceremonies with several of the honorees and help raise awareness for their inspiring stories of courage. Ms. Lobo retired in 2003, is a member of the National Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame and the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame. She has served on the Board of Directors for Hartford Hospital, where she was born. She currently works as a television analyst, author and motivational speaker and lives in Connecticut with her husband and their four children.