Maine diver Riley Clark wins Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award
Clark is one of five recipients of the honor
ORONO, Maine (WABI) - Maine diver Riley Clark is one of five recipients of the Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award this year.
The honor goes to student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics.
Clark defeated cancer to return to diving for the Black Bears, and he will be honored at the N4A Convention in Las Vegas on June 27.
Clark wasn’t sure that he’d win the award after finding out what it means on a national level.
Learning he won in a meeting with head coach Susie Lizzotte, assistant coach Linda Costello, and his athletic advisor Julie Cheville was an unforgettable experience.
“I kind of sat there in shock, but my coaches jumped up and down and started screaming. It was amazing. We called my mom and my diving coach Isaac Forbes, and it was just insane. I still don’t feel I deserve to be associated with that name because it’s so incredible what Wilma Rudolph did. It’s very humbling,” said Clark.
Clark added that his experience in his cancer recovery has led to him pursuing a new career to work as a physician assistant in a pediatric oncology ward.
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