DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke junior Tyler Thornton is one of five players named to the inaugural Allstate NABC Division I Good Works Team as announced today by Allstate Insurance Company and the NABC.
The award recognizes a unique group of men's college basketball student-athletes who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement including building homes for the elderly, leading basketball clinics, reading to students and working with children with hearing disabilities.
Thornton has been a steady contributor on the court for the Blue Devils averaging 3.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Widely recognized as a terrific defender and strong leader he has also made an outstanding impact in the community.
In addition to participating in the Read with the Blue Devils program and with the Duke Children's Hospital, Thornton also began working the SONS (Students Of New Success) program at CC Spaulding Elementary School this fall. This unique program, which was created to both educate and mentor at-risk males, is integrated into the educational curricula for third through fifth grades. The program also provides students with historic cultural lessons, tutoring and test preparation as well as a safe place for them to share and receive guidance for their struggles at home and in the community. Through the program, Thornton has developed strong relationships with the students and become a positive male role model as well as someone they look up to, rely on, and confide in.
For more information on Thornton's involvement in the program check out this blog post from Duke Blue Planet - Ty's New Friends - http://blog.dukeblueplanet.com/2013/01/tys-new-friends/.
Joining Thornton on the 2013 Allstate NABC Division I Good Works Team are Langston Galloway (Saint Joseph's), Jakob Gollon (Mercer), John Mann (Belmont) and Peyton Silva (Louisville)
Athletic departments submitted 161 nominations for deserving student-athletes. From the nominations, a voting panel headlined by former University of Arizona student-athlete, five-time NBA champion and college basketball analyst Steve Kerr selected the five-member Division I team. The voting panel also selected a five-member team from the Division II, III and NAIA level.
Members of the Allstate NABC Good Works Team will be invited by Allstate, an official corporate partner of the NCAA, to the 2013 NABC Convention and 2013 NCAA® Men's Final Four in Atlanta, where they will participate in a community project in the city.
"The NABC is pleased to honor 10 outstanding men's basketball student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to charitable and community service-related activities," said Jim Haney, NABC executive director. "These student-athletes have made a significant impact on the organizations they have served, and have shown outstanding character on the court, in the community, and in the classroom."
Since 2008, Allstate has partnered with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as sponsor of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which shines a spotlight on the positive, off-the-field impact college football student-athletes have on their communities. Through an arrangement with the AFCA, NABC and WBCA, Allstate is able to expand the Good Works Team® to also recognize college basketball student-athletes at all levels who donate their time and effort to make a difference off the court.
More information about the Allstate NABC Good Works Team is available at www.nabc.org.
About the National Basketball Coaches Association
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.
About AFCA
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football."
