Wright Earns Excellence in Community and Character Award
*Courtesy of ECC Media Relations
BRIDGEPORT, CT - Marlena Wright of the University of the District of Columbia women's cross country and track & field teams, received the East Coast Conference Excellence in Community and Character Award at the ECC Awards Dinner on May 23.
The most prestigious award presented of the night, Excellence in Community and Character Award recipients are student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through positive actions and behaviors that are consistent with the NCAA Division II attributes of learning, service, passion, sportsmanship, balance and resourcefulness.
"This award is not just for the best student, best athlete, the best sportsman or woman," said ECC Commissioner, Dr. Robert Dranoff. "This is an award for all around excellence. With many strong nominees, the choices were difficult but we have selected three very deserving student-athletes."
Wright, who also earned the Scholar Athlete of the Year honor for Women's Indoor Track & Field, was a two time All-American as part of the 4 x 400 meter relay team for the Firebirds. She was also the first female to win an ECC Championship event in all four seasons, doing so in the 500 meter run at the conference's indoor championships.
Her resume off the track is even more extensive. In the classroom, she compiled a 3.30 GPA as a Mass Media-Journalism major, and was named the Women's Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2015-16.
She also took on a role with numerous groups across campus. During her time at UDC she was a member of the UDC Women of Worth, Photography, and Women in Film & Video clubs as well the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In addition, she was the president and founder of the UDC Video Club, President of the UDC Literary Club and the secretary for both UDC Active Minds and Students Overcoming All-Risks.
She didn't stop there however. She was also involved in numerous causes and activities in the athletic department. She helped orchestrate the cross country team's participation in the Light the Night walk in support of luekemia and lymphoma in honor of the deceased mother of the team's coach.
Lastly she was the creator and producer of the Athletic Department's web series, The Real MVP, and bi-weekly short video series, Hammer Time.