INDIANAPOLIS - IUPUI junior cross country student-athlete Joe Hoffman has been named the 2010 recipient of the Michael A. Carroll Scholarship. Hoffman was chosen among three finalists for the award, based on qualities of leadership and a commitment to community service.
The award is named after the former Lilly Endowment executive who was responsible for creating the Jaguars (formerly Metros) Athletic Club in 1981. He served as the program’s number one advocate, fundraiser and cheerleader until his untimely death in a 1992 plane crash. The scholarship that bears his name was awarded for the first time in the 1996 academic year.
Hoffman, a three-year letterwinner, was named Team MVP this past season and earned First Team All-Summit League honors by placing seventh among the 71 runners competing. Prior to that, Hoffman had earned two straight Most Improved Awards and he currently holds the 11th fastest 6K time in school history. He also owns the 7th quickest 10K in program history.
Academically, he holds a 3.821 grade point average in the School of Physical Education & Tourism Management and is majoring in PE/Health Education. He intends on teaching following his graduation and comes from a family full of educators.
Hoffman has been incredibly active within the Indianapolis community since arriving in 2007. He began an initiative with the Lumen Christi Catholic School in Indianapolis, helping develop a physical education curriculum and lesson plans for the student body. In addition, he has volunteered for the 2010 AAPHERD Convention, the 2009-10 Martin Luther King Day of Service and various service projects with his teammates. Within the running community, he’s worked at the Midwest All-Star Cross Country Camp and the Sam Costa Half Marathon since attending IUPUI.
Inside the athletic department, Hoffman has been deeply involved with the IUPUI Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and will serve as the SAAC President during his senior year.
"I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with many outstanding student-athletes over the past 42 years in education and coaching," IUPUI Head Coach Chuck Koeppen said in his letter of recommendation for Hoffman. "It is very clear to me that Joe Hoffman is certainly one of the finest young met that I have had the honor to work with.
"He is first class in everything that he does. He has made my job easy and very rewarding."
Hoffman becomes the first-ever IUPUI cross country runner to earn the award. He will be officially recognized at the annual Michael A. Carroll Golf Outing on Wednesday, June 9 at Wood Wind Golf Course. In addition, he’ll receive a scholarship in the amount permitted by the NCAA for a ‘full’ grant-in-aid, to the extent in which funds are available.
The full list of former IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Scholarship recipients is as follows:
1995-96 - Katie Murphy (women’s basketball)
1996-97 - Cory Pepperworth (volleyball)
1997-98 - Lisa Richards (women’s tennis)
1998-99 - Philip Hinojosa (men’s soccer)
1999-00 - Nick Simmons (men’s golf)
2000-01 - Greg Weiler (men’s soccer)
2001-02 - Tiffany Kyser (women’s basketball)
2002-03 - Brandon Meyer (men’s soccer)
2003-04 - Louis Kisic (men’s soccer)
2004-05 - Joan Vidimos (women’s soccer)
2005-06 - Justin Wenger (men’s golf)
2006-07 - Peter Brasovan (men’s soccer)
2007-08 - Francisco Maia (men’s soccer)
2008-09 - Katrina McCrory (women’s soccer)
2009-10 - Joe Hoffman (men’s cross country)