CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Colgate men’s basketball senior Milan Williams and senior women’s rower Taylor Wright were selected as the 2019-2020 Patriot League Sportsmanship Award recipients when the League office announced honors on Tuesday. Williams and Wright were chosen by administrators of the League’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
The Patriot League Sportsmanship Award is in its 15th year after being created to honor student-athletes that uphold the principles on which the League was founded – fairness, equality and excellence in academics and athletics. Each of the League’s 10 full member institutions is eligible to nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the honor.
Milan Williams, Colgate University Men’s Basketball
Milan Williams spent four years as a member of a resurgent Colgate men’s basketball program that played in three Patriot League Championship games and claimed the 2019 title; its first in 23 years. Williams’ legacy in Hamilton will be shaped far more by his impact on campus culture than his play on the court.
“Milan is the type of person who is always looking after the person whose voice may not be heard at all or maybe the quietest,” wrote Meghan Kovac, Colgate Administrator, and SAAC Liaison. “At a predominantly white institution, Milan knows that people of color don’t always feel that their voices are being heard. Looking at this, Milan has really taken it upon himself to change the dynamic. And if he can’t fully change the dynamic, he wants to do what he can to get voices heard.”
After a racially charged incident on Colgate’s campus during his first year, Williams believed it was time to reignite Raiders of Color Connect (ROCC). His goal was to provide student-athletes of color with a safe space at the institution, and he knew that he could use his platform to reach people throughout the Colgate student body. ROCC now works with student groups throughout campus, engaging in ways to positively build their community.
“Milan Williams embodies good character as someone who always finds a way to stitch his community together,” wrote Johna Joseph Jr., Colgate student, and fellow ROCC member. “Some might say, Milan is good at stepping outside of his comfort zone, but I see that these acts of compassion are entirely his own world. During our meetings for ROCC, I am always impressed to see that Milan is always processing from the viewpoint of others.”
He began participating in the “Sidekicks” program when he heard kids were asking for participation from Colgate basketball players. Immediately, Williams stepped in and began interacting with one boy throughout the week. Even though the young boy was a hockey player, he took the time to focus on his buddy’s passion. Williams eventually invited the young boy to “Raider for the Day,” where they took part in Colgate basketball activities.
Milan also became a career ambassador for the men’s basketball team, which allowed him to go above and beyond for his teammates. He helped career services setup “career studios” and personally ensure that his teammates were getting connected within the alumni network.
“Through his dedication to the community, efforts to ensure every voice is heard and advocation for all students, Milan should be so incredibly proud of the legacy he is leaving at Colgate,” Kovac said. “One of a Patriot League champion, but maybe even more importantly, one of a man who didn’t stop working until everyone was represented. Milan is an outstanding example of what it means to be a well-rounded, Patriot League student-athlete, one who makes a former Patriot League student-athlete very proud to have the opportunity to work with him.”
“Milan reminds me of the man I need to be when working to accomplish my goals,” Joseph noted.
Taylor Wright, Colgate University Women’s Rowing
Taylor Wright, a team captain for the Colgate women’s rowing program as a senior, left a lasting influence on teammates and the rowing community through her selflessness and leadership. She consistently exhibited these traits throughout her four years to the benefit of Colgate, their competitors and the community.
“As my co-captain and teammate of four years, I have seen Taylor demonstrate leadership, perseverance, and a deep respect for every athlete,” wrote Molly Frauenheim, a Colgate rowing teammate. “As a team, we have had numerous struggles throughout our four years, with countless coaching changes and most recently COVID-19 ending our senior season early. Taylor has been our team’s rock through it all, leading with infectious positivity and an unmatched work ethic.”
Wright displayed her compassion during the tragedy that struck the Holy Cross women’s rowing program. She immediately coordinated gestures with other Patriot League rowing captains to show support to the Holy Cross community while reaching out to individual members of the team to see how she could help.
“Holy Cross women’s rowing team, our team’s biggest rival, was struck with tragedy in a serious accident while on a winter training trip,” Frauenheim said. “Any form of competitiveness and friendly rivalry between the two teams disappeared when Taylor led efforts to send relief to the athletes and honor the team member who passed away. Taylor contacted the other Patriot League rowing captains to organize numerous efforts, including wearing matching purple ribbons at our championship race, sending letters to the Holy Cross rowers, dedicating a specific practice or workout to the injured rowers and designing stickers to place on every team’s boat when they race.”
Last fall, she received a phone call from her high school head coach, a current coach at MIT, about the team’s boat breaking before a race. Knowing the Raiders were headed to the same site the next day, Wright went to Colgate’s head coach Jess Deitrick to get permission to provide a spare boat to an opponent that ultimately went on to beat them.
Her compassion and dedication have been exhibited in other forms throughout her years in Hamilton, N.Y. Colgate participated in the Conor Erg Challenge, a campaign to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research and awareness. Wright took it upon herself to become the main contact for Colgate women’s rowing and to push her team to be heavily involved in the campaign. Even after graduating this spring, she has remained involved with the rowing program by creating social media content for the team, including individual templates for every member of the squad.
“When I think of sportsmanship, and of compassion, I think of Taylor Wright,” Kovac expressed. “She has faced so many different moments throughout her career at Colgate, when she could have picked up and walked away. But she didn’t. On the one hand, she’s a pure competitor at heart. On the other, she knew she couldn’t walk away from her teammates. Every decision she makes, full thought is put into it, from many different angles.”
Other Patriot League Sportsmanship Award nominees include Vela McBride (American, volleyball), Jacob Hurtubise (Army West Point, baseball), Gloria Son (Army West Point, women’s soccer), Lily Burchell (Boston University, women’s tennis), Max Mahoney (Boston University, men’s basketball), Kelly Crowley (Holy Cross, women’s soccer and softball), Riley Livingston (Holy Cross, baseball), Sam Fishbein (Lafayette, men’s track and field), Lisa Van Der Geest (Lafayette, field hockey), Mariel Hoeschel (Lehigh, women’s rowing), Owen Quinn (Lehigh, men’s golf) and Annalise Heyward (Navy, women’s lacrosse).
Initially awarded after the 2005-06 academic year, the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award is given to one male and one female winner selected each year. The Patriot League has established this Sportsmanship Award to recognize and honor those who demonstrate the values of respect and integrity through a specific action ideally directed towards an opponent. Nominees must have consistently demonstrated the values of respect and integrity in his or her daily participation in intercollegiate athletics. Student-athlete or team nominees must be affiliated with a Patriot League-sponsored sport during the academic year. Nominees must also be in good academic standing at the time of the award application.
CLICK HERE for more about the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.