Athletics Awarded 7th Straight Region 3 Community Service Award
CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, (518) 629-7898
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, August 8, 2024
For the seventh straight year, Hudson Valley Community College was named the recipient of the NJCAA Region 3 Community Service Award in recognition of the dedication and support the athletics department and the student-athletes have given to the local community during the 2023-24 academic year.
"I am proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff for investing in our community and understanding the importance of giving back. It is important to this department, and I hope our student-athletes carry these values with them for the rest of their lives and understand the impact they are making."
The Vikings have participated in several community events like the Out of the Darkness Walk, Reverse Rhett Syndrome Family Run, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk and the continued their relationship with the Race Away Stigma 5K Race and Fun Walk as the Vikings volunteered with the race for the eighth straight year.
The football team continued their commitment to hold its annual Military Appreciation Day for the fifth straight season, which coincided with the first ever NJCAA/ESPN+ National Game of the Week for the Vikings athletics department. The day featured a free BBQ luncheon, sponsored by Rensselaer County and Dinosaur BBQ for all military members (active/retired) and their families prior to the Vikings football game vs. Nassau. The department of athletics and the HVCC Veteran Resource and Outreach Center also presented the annual Military Appreciation Award to a local Veteran business owner.
The baseball program volunteered at over a dozen unique events and formed a close partnership with Albany's South End Children's Café as they offered weekly baseball and field day activities at Joe Bruno Stadium to help keep the kids engaged and active through the month of September. Baseball also assisted small community groups, like the East Greenbush Pop Warner and Cheerleading squad, cleaning out the storage units and moved the cheer mats for the upcoming season.
The softball program assisted with the Hi-5 Sports camps throughout the fall semester. Every Sunday, the softball team would assist with the camp and clinic activities where they helped with games and workouts geared towards providing fun for individuals with special needs.
The men's lacrosse program was one of several teams to help at the campus-wide Earth Day Campus Cleanup Day and focused specifically on cleaning up the new campus hiking trail near the baseball and softball fields.
The Vikings women's soccer program had a few members dress up and volunteer at Hudson Valley's annual Pumpkin Palooza, a free public event to provide families a safe, friendly and festive environment for Halloween. Student-athletes decorated the field house, assisted with carnival games and dressed up in costumes to interact with the children, supervised and cleaned up the event. For the first time in its history, the Palooza was held outside on the practice field and featured vendors, games, rides and free food for everyone.
Community Activities and organizations that HVCC student-athletes worked with in 2023-24 include:
- College Suites Move-In Day
- 5th Annual Military Appreciation Day and BBQ Luncheon
- Hi-5 Sports Volunteer Camps/Clinics
- Reverse Rett Syndrome Family Fun Day
- Albany South End Children's Café
- East Greenbush Pop Warner Fall Cleaning
- Out of the Darkness Walk
- Race Away Stigma
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk
- 6th Annual Culnan King of Deadlift benefit at ABC
- Annual Pumpkins Palooza
- HVCC Thanksgiving Dinner – Night Event
- HVCC Thanksgiving Dinner – Day Event
- Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's Annual "Feed the Community Day"
- Albany Tulip Queen's Holiday Drive
- Dick's Sporting Goods Gift Wrapping
- Rensselaer County Electronics Recycling
- NCAA Women's Basketball Super Regional
- #VSCancer: Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
- Festival of Nations at HVCC
- HVCC Earth Day