March 27, 2013
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By Brian Ormiston and the NCAS
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - A member of the 2013 UCF football signing class, Shaquem Griffin has been selected as one of four finalists for a National STUDENT-Athlete Day Giant Steps Award in the category of Courageous Student-Athlete. The finalists were announced by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) Wednesday.
Griffin is a product of Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Fla., and joined twin brother Shaquill Griffin when the duo signed National Letters of Intent Feb. 6 to play for the Knights starting in the fall. At just 4-years old, Shaquem had his fingers removed from his left hand due to a rare condition that started before birth. He did not let that affect his love for sports.
Griffin eventually would be ranked among the top 100 safeties in the country by ESPN, and was on the 2012 class 5A all-state second team. He and his brother capped off their careers by competing in the Team USA vs. The World International Bowl Feb. 5, where Shaquem made ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 with an incredible interception in the redzone.
A member of the Lakewood track team, Griffin competed in the 4x100, discus, triple jump and shot put, and received interest from LSU, Miami and Purdue. He was the Tampa Bay Times Track and Field Athlete of the Year in Pinellas County in 2012 as he won the state title in the triple jump while also breaking two school records.
National STUDENT-Athlete Day was created by the NCAS as well as Northeastern University's Sport in Society, and is currently co-sponsored by the NCAA and the National Federation for State High School Associations (NFHS).
As part of the National STUDENT-Athlete Day celebration, nominations made from all over the country are accepted for annual Giant Steps Awards. The awards are not limited to student-athletes but aim to honor professional athletes, coaches, civic leaders, community organizations and other individuals who use sport to inspire others, exemplify the ideals of balancing academics, athletics, life pursuits and giving back to the community through the spirit of sport.
Winners of the 2013 Giant Steps Awards will be contacted the first week of April and announced nationally on National STUDENT-Athlete Day April 6. The actual Giant Steps Awards will be presented to the winners at the annual Giant Steps Award Ceremony which will take place in Orlando Oct. 29.
For more information including details on all of the finalists, visit the National Consortium for Academics and Sports at http://ncasports.org.
Plan your game days with the Knights, and experience one of the best schedules in program history in the best available seat locations at Bright House Networks Stadium. 2013 season tickets start at $99. To secure your UCF football season tickets, visit UCFAthletics.com or call 407-UCF-1000.