Stanford softball player Jessica Mendoza to receive Iba Award from Rotary Club of Tulsa

The Rotary Club of Tulsa is expected to announce Wednesday that softball player Jessica Mendoza will be the 2012 female recipient of the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award.

Mendoza, a two-time Olympic medalist and a four-time collegiate All-American at Stanford, and a male recipient will be honored during a June 18 awards dinner at the Renaissance Hotel. A male recipient has not been selected.

"I am completely honored to be receiving the Henry P. Iba Citizen Award, especially knowing the list of athletes who have received the award before me," Mendoza said.

"This award not only recognizes amazing accomplishments each athlete has had within their sport, but more importantly what they all have humbly done to create better opportunities for others outside of their sport. I truly thank The Rotary Club of Tulsa for creating this award and I look forward to receiving it and being a part of the amazing banquet in June."

The Rotary Club of Tulsa launched the Iba Awards - named in memory of former Oklahoma State and U.S. Olympic basketball coach Henry Iba - in 1994.

The Rotary Club, wanting to shine a spotlight on positive role models, sought out Iba recipients who excel in their sports and who show, by their actions, a desire to help others.

Mendoza will join 1997 recipient Lisa Fernandez as the second softball player to be chosen for an Iba Award.

Other past female recipients are basketball players Ruth Riley, Tamika Catchings, Dawn Staley and Rebecca Lobo; gymnasts Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes and Amy Chow; soccer players Kristine Lilly and Michelle Akers; swimmers Jenny Thompson and Megan Quann Jendrick; tennis player Andrea Jaeger; figure skater Nancy Kerrigan; golfers Nancy Lopez and Amy Alcott; track and field athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and weightlifter Melanie Roach.

Mendoza shares an Iba connection with Joey Cheek, an Olympic speedskater who was honored with a special President's Award at the 2001 Iba Awards. Cheek is president and co-founder of Team Darfur, an international team of athletes devoted to raising awareness of humanitarian crises related to war in Darfur, a region of Sudan.

Mendoza is an athlete ambassador for Team Darfur and Right to Play, an international organization that uses athletic programs to better the lives of children and communities in disadvantaged areas of the world.

Mendoza was named the Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the year in 2008. She was one of five Olympians selected to visit troops and hospitals in Afghanistan that year. She is a past president of the Women's Sports Foundation and is a former board member of the National Education Association Foundation.

A three-time female athlete of the year at Stanford, Mendoza led the Cardinal to its first College World Series appearance in 2001, and she set school records for batting average (.475), hits (94), stolen bases (31), runs (71) and career home runs (50).

Mendoza played for Team USA from 2001-2010, winning three world championships, an Olympic gold medal in 2004 and an Olympic silver medal in 2008.

In addition to playing professional softball, Mendoza works for ESPN as a softball analyst and college football sideline reporter.

Mendoza and her husband, Adam Burks, have a son, Caleb.

HENRY P. IBA CITIZEN ATHLETE AWARDS

Monday, June 18
Renaissance Hotel

Master of ceremonies:
TBA

Keynote speaker:
TBA

Male recipient:
TBA

Female recipient:
Jessica Mendoza

Tickets:
918-584-7642

Original Print Headline: Softball player to get Iba Award

Jimmie Tramel 918-581-8389
jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com

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Stanford softball player Jessica Mendoza to receive Iba Award from Rotary Club of Tulsa

The Rotary Club of Tulsa is expected to announce Wednesday that softball player Jessica Mendoza will be the 2012 female recipient of the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award.

HENRY P. IBA CITIZEN ATHLETE AWARDS