Annual Event To Take Place At Ford Center
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss will be honoring athletics achievement from the past year with the third annual Rebels’ Choice Awards. Kicking off Grove Bowl Week on campus, the semi-formal event is set for April 10 at 7 p.m. CT at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for Performing Arts.
Admission is free to the public, but a ticket is required. Tickets are available at the UM Box Office and Ford Center Box Office. Requested tickets can also be picked up at the Ford Center Box Office will-call window one hour prior to the show.
The Rebels’ Choice Awards include 14 categories in which the winners are selected by Ole Miss’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Fans can visit www.rebelschoiceawards.com to see this year’s nominees.
Three additional awards are determined by the fans, who are encouraged to visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/RebelsChoiceAwards and cast their ballot for the Play of the Year, Game of the Year and Fan Favorite Rebel. Voting begins now and runs through April 2.
The event, which will be hosted by radio personality Richard Cross, showcases the spirit and success of Ole Miss Athletics through presentations, performances and video productions. Festivities begin with a red carpet event for student-athletes and athletics staff at 6 p.m., with the awards program to follow at 7.
“This is a special time of the year for us to celebrate our student-athletes’ achievements on and off the playing field,” said Ole Miss Assistant Athletics Director Jamil Northcutt. “As in years past, we have planned an action-packed and entertaining show that will commemorate this momentous year.”
Awards include men’s and women’s sports winners in the categories of Most Valuable Rebel, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Hotty Toddy Award and Community Outreach Award.
Honors are based on performances from the calendar year. The sports of football, soccer, volleyball, basketball and rifle will be judged on the 2012-13 campaign, while baseball, softball, tennis, golf and track & field looks at 2011-12.
The past 12 months have been exciting times for Ole Miss with baseball advancing to an NCAA regional final, men’s tennis reaching the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Isiah Young representing the United States in the Olympics, football winning a bowl game for the first time since 2009, and most recently, men’s basketball winning the SEC Tournament Championship and getting to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
“The Rebel Choice Awards are a great opportunity for the Ole Miss community to come together and celebrate the achievements of the student-athletes on and off the field,” said Brittany Broome, SAAC President and softball senior. “The night is full of excitement and entertainment with a reception and an award show featuring a live band, videos, awards and a great host. I truly believe it is the best night of the year for Ole Miss Athletics.”
The Rebels’ Choice Awards is built into the celebration of National Student-Athlete Day, which is celebrated every year in April.
Established in 1987, National Student-Athlete Day is America’s day to celebrate outstanding student-athletes who have achieved excellence in academics and athletics while having made significant contributions to the community. The day was established by the National Consortium for Academics & Sports and Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society and is co-sponsored by the NCAA.