Courtesy of RobertsRedHawks.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Roberts Wesleyan University Athletic Department continues to make history for its work in the community.
Roberts became the first three-time winner of the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence when the grand prize was announced on Friday morning at the NCAA Convention in Nashville.
Roberts was one of 22 institutions and four conferences selected as finalists for the honor, an accolade recognizing initiatives in the past year that exemplify the Division II philosophy of community engagement and student-athlete leadership.
Roberts became the first repeat winner of the award when it was recognized for its long-time association with The Pirate Toy Fund, which has donated more than 400,000 toys to Rochester-area children since 1995.
“Our student-athletes have inspired the entire Roberts Wesleyan community through their dedication to serving others, particularly in volunteering and organizing Pirate Toy Fund drives for children in need throughout Greater Rochester,” said Roberts Wesleyan University President Dr. Rupert A. Hayles Jr. “Through initiatives like Redhawks Reachout, we’re fostering a culture where Roberts Wesleyan student-athletes understand their unique position to create meaningful change and spread happiness to children in our community.”
Roberts Wesleyan student-athletes, coaches and staff dedicated more than 300 service hours to support the Pirate Toy Fund in 2024. These efforts included helping to move and set up a new warehouse, sorting toys, and organizing community events, significantly contributing to the Toy Fund’s mission of bringing joy to children in need across the Greater Rochester area.
The economic impact of the Redhawks’ contributions was substantial. The volunteer manpower used to tear down and set up shelving in the new warehouse saved the Pirate Toy Fund over $10,000 in billable hours. In addition to hands-on labor, the Redhawks also played a key role in organizing toy drives, including a Pepper for Pirate event and a Toy Drive hosted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), both of which collected thousands of toys for children in the community.
This is the fourth time Roberts Wesleyan has been recognized by the national Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for this honor in the 12-year history of the award.
In 2024, Roberts was recognized for its work with the Ugandan Water Project. In 2021, the university won the grand prize for its work with Golisano Children’s Hospital, and placed third in 2023 for its inaugural meal-packing event for Rise Against Hunger.
“The Pirate To Fund is an organization that is near and dear to my heart,” Bob Segave, Executive Director of Athletics said. “Seeing the joy on a child’s face when they receive a toy is a feeling that you do not forget, and knowing that our student-athletes and athletic department is so closely involved with this program through our Redhawks Reachout initiative makes me extremely proud.”
The Redhawks dedicated their nomination to fund co-founder Gary Smith (aka Gary The Happy Pirate), who died last July.The university was awarded a $3,000 prize, which will be used for future community engagement initiatives and events.
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