Liz Wood Nominated for 2016 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team
12/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ORONO, Maine -- For the third-straight year, University of Maine women's basketball senior Liz Wood has been named one of 103 nominees for the 2016 Allstate Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Good Works Team.
This distinguished award shines a spotlight on a select group of student-athletes who have shown dedication to service in their communities.
From the nominations, special voting panels, headlined by former Duke University basketball athlete, two-time NCAA® champion and seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill, and former University of Tennessee basketball athlete, NCAA champion and WNBA legend Tamika Catchings, will select two 10-member teams comprised of five student-athletes from the NCAA Division I level and five student-athletes from Divisions II, III and the NAIA. The final roster of 20 award recipients will be unveiled in February.
Wood's accomplishments reach far beyond the court as she is heavily involved in several organizations and projects outside of her basketball life. A biology major with a premedical concentration in the honors school, Wood was named the America East Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2015. A two-time America East Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Wood has also earned America East Commissioner's Honor Roll status for three-straight season. In the spring of 2015, Wood was honored as Maine's Dean Smith Award recipient, an accolade presented annually to the top male and female student-athlete with outstanding academic and athletic achievement along with citizenship and community service.
Wood serves as the America East National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative and has made multiple trips to the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis to share her thoughts and ideas on behalf of UMaine and the America East. As the President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committe (SAAC) at UMaine, Wood has stepped off the court and dedicated her time to several service projects. Wood has made numerous visits to local elementary schools to read to local children and last winter volunteered at the Bangor Mall wrapping presents for a local non-profit organization. Wood has also helped organize Relay for Life, Dodge for a Cause and dedicated a portion of her time officiating for Special Olympics Basketball games. Wood, who has been named to the Dean's List every semester, earned a spot on the America East Helping Hands Team in 2015.
Wood coordinated efforts for all student-athletes for department wide community service initiatives including Toys-for-Toys, hospital visits and food drives. She also has given back with numerous free basketball clinics, campus wide clean up projects and helped raise over $30,000 in efforts for UMaine's annual Play4Kay game.
During the summer of 2014, Wood spent time researching at Colorado State University and also completed her Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
"The 2016 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® nominees are truly inspirational and their stories of service are a great example of the impact young people can make by dedicating their time and energy to do good," said Thomas Clarkson, president of the west territory for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2016 NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams® selection panels. "For the fourth year, Allstate is honored to join the NABC and WBCA to recognize these student-athletes for their leadership off the court to help make a difference."
For the fourth year, the Allstate WBCA and NABC Good Works Teams® help spotlight the off-the-court good works and service to others that often goes unnoticed and unrewarded. From creating organizations benefitting at-risk youth to volunteering overseas to help impoverished communities, there are countless remarkable stories of service among this year's group of nominees. As full-time students and athletes, these players choose to dedicate their limited free time to improving the lives of those around them.
Members of the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® will be recognized during the 2016 WBCA Convention and at the 2016 NCAA Women's Final Four® in Indianapolis, and will also participate in a local volunteer project.
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