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Carmen Bragg named National Student Athlete of the Year

Carmen Bragg named National Student Athlete of the Year
Posted: Mar 01, 2017

UNIONTOWN, PA – The Student-Athlete of the Year Award is determined by a committee comprised of USCAA national office members, board members, and athletic directors.

By virtue of her combined academic and athletic excellence, Bragg was awarded the prestigious Student-Athlete of the Year Award from the USCAA for Division II women's basketball last night.

Over the last 3 years at the University of Maine at Augusta, junior co-captain Carmen Bragg has achieved a near perfect GPA while also playing basketball for the Moose.  

 Bragg's contributions to the UMA community go beyond the court and the classroom. While at UMA, Carmen has volunteered weekly at the Augusta Food Bank, at numerous blood drives, participated in campus clean-up initiatives, and spent time caroling for the homeless during the holidays.

She has served as the Public Relations coordinator for the Student Government Association where she has helped to organize multiple events related to student engagement.  She currently serves as the Secretary of the Honors Program and as an Admission Ambassador where she works closely with potential new students. These are the actions of someone who is fully invested in contributing to the University of Maine Augusta community. 

Her coach Jennifer Laney was excited when notified about the honor saying that, "Carmen gives her full heart to everything that she does within our UMA community.  She works tirelessly to lead by example in every aspect of her life.  Carmen may be quiet, but the impact she makes here at UMA can be heard far and wide."

Bragg's contributions are not limited to the UMA campus as this spring she plans to travel to Haiti with a group of UMA students as part of a Global Health course to volunteer at Real Hope this spring. Students will spend their time at the center helping malnourished children and providing support at their health clinic. When not working at the health clinic students will spend time at a local primary school and provide educational and sports activities for children in the village.

In Carmen's 3 years at UMA she has played a critical role in the success of the women's basketball team. This season she was asked to fill in a role that she was not used to, that of point guard. To make this transition required many adjustments on Braggs part but as a leader she placed the team ahead of herself. She was willing to fill the role that was needed of her, even when it took her out of her comfort zone and she found a way to excel. 

Coach Jennifer Laney said it best, "We truly cannot put into words the impact that Carmen Bragg has had on this community and our program."