Doctoral candidate Maya Hamilton is the recipient of the 2013-2014 Jean Freeman Scholarship from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). The scholarship, named for legendary U of MN coach Jean Freeman, is given annually to a male and a female assistant coach in each NCAA division whose exceptional contributions have brought recognition to their college or university.
Hamilton received this award through her position as an assistant swim coach at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Currently, she is a doctoral candidate in Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, examining moral identity development of college coaches. She works as a research assistant under the guidance of the associate director of the Tucker Center, Nicole LaVoi, Ph.D. As an undergraduate, Hamilton received a B.A. in History from Yale University. Additionally, she is a member of the Alliance of Women Coaches, which serves to support and increase opportunities for women coaches.
“Maya is a deserving recipient of this prestigious award in Jean’s honor,” said Dr. LaVoi. “Maya is an exemplar young coach who lives her values of integrity, honesty, and graciousness while striving to help her athletes perform to their best abilities and become good people. I am so proud that her efforts are being recognized by her peers, she is most deserving.”
The Jean Freeman Scholarship recognizes assistant coaches whose exceptional contributions have brought recognition to their college or university, and whose leadership, integrity, honesty, competitive attitude and personal graciousness epitomizes those characteristics reflected by Jean Freeman. The scholarship will provide each of the six selected assistant coaches with the convention fee, transportation and lodging to the annual CSCAA Convention and Clinic.
Freeman, who passed away in 2010, was a graduate of the University of Minnesota and was a member of the Golden Gopher’s swimming and diving team from 1968 to 1972. She became the head coach of the program in 1973 and spent 31 years in that position before retiring in 2004.
