INDIANAPOLIS - IUPUI cross country student-athlete
Joe Hoffman has been selected to throw out the first pitch at Wednesday's (May 19) Indianapolis Indians game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Victory Field. The game will begin at 11:00 a.m. as part of the Indians' Baseball in Education program and will be nationally televised on MLB Network.
Hoffman was recently selected as IUPUI's 2009-10 recipient of the Michael A. Carroll Scholarship for his senior season. The award is given annually to a to-be senior, based on a commitment to community service, academic prowess and athletics successes.
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 in the championship meet. 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 has 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.
Hoffman is the second IUPUI student-athlete to throw out a first pitch this season, joining NCAA Diving Champion
Chen Ni.