Program honors highest achieving student-athletes for combined
academic and athletic success across all divisions of intercollegiate
athletics
MCLEAN, Va., Jan 31, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) today announced a
partnership with the College Sports Information Directors of America
(CoSIDA) to become the title sponsor of the Academic All-America(R)
Program, the nation's premier intercollegiate athletics scholar-athlete
awards program.
As part of its partnership, Capital One receives immediate entitlement
of the program - the Capital One Academic All-America(R) Program - as well
as for each of its individual programs, including the Academic
All-America(R) and Academic All-District Teams, Academic All-America(R) Team
Member of the Year, the Academic All-Americas(R) of the Year and the
Academic All-America Hall of Fame(R), established in 1988, to honor the
Academic All-America selections that have gone on to outstanding
achievements in their chosen careers.
"The Academic All-America Program is one of the most reputable and
recognized student-athlete awards in intercollegiate athletics," said
Capital One Chief Marketing Officer, Bill McDonald. "As a national
supporter of student-athletes and their quest for excellence on the
field and in the classroom, Capital One is proud to help shine a
spotlight on these individuals and their outstanding achievements. We
look forward to working with CoSIDA to grow awareness around this
program even more in the future."
The Academic All-America(R) program has honored thousands of
student-athletes since its inception in 1952. It encompasses all sports
in which the NCAA conducts championships. There are separate teams
selected in football, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer,
men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and men's and women's
track and cross-country. For student-athletes in other sports, such as
swimming, tennis, golf, hockey, they are eligible for the men's and
women's at-large programs. The Academic All-District teams (in eight
geographic districts) are voted on by the CoSIDA membership at large,
with First Team selections advancing to the national Capital One
Academic All-America(R) ballot. At that point, First Team, Second Team and
Third Team Academic All-America(R) performers are chosen by the Academic
All-America Committee members and CoSDIA Board of Directors.
"When you have one of America's largest and most visible corporate
sponsors step up to support and enhance the CoSIDA Academic All-America
program, it shows the value and utmost importance of our educational
goals and platforms," said West Virginia University Director of
Athletics, Oliver Luck. "As a member of the Academic All-America Hall of
Fame, I want to commend Capital One for its vision in providing
important promotional and media support that will help thousands of
student-athletes excel and become future leaders."
Currently, a Capital One Academic All-America(R) University Division (NCAA
Division I participants) team and a College Division team (combining
NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, Canadian, and two-year
schools) are selected for each sport category. Beginning with the
2011-12 academic year, this national program will grow to four programs
- with NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III teams and
a separate College Division program combining NAIA, Canadian and
two-year school honorees.
The Capital One Academic All-America(R) Program is a highly selective
scholar-athlete honor. Approximately 1,950 of the
12,000 student-athletes nominated annually receive "First-Team Academic
All-District" honors, and only 820 currently gain the prestigious
Capital One Academic All-America(R) honor; of those 820, only 288 earn
prestigious Academic All-America(R) First Team accolades.
"Capital One is the perfect partner for the CoSIDA Academic All-America
program as it truly understands the mission of intercollegiate athletics
and how the Academic All-America program extols the true meaning of
student-athlete," said Larry Dougherty, CoSIDA President. "Through this
new partnership, CoSIDA and Capital One will be able to enhance the
visibility of the Academic All-America program like never before,
something that is very important to the entire intercollegiate
community."
Capital One's partnership with CoSIDA expands the company's support of
intercollegiate athletics and student-athletes and universities. Capital
One became an NCAA(R) Corporate Champion in 2010 and created the Capital
One Cup, a new program rewarding NCAA Division I athletics programs
for their cumulative on-field performance across multiple men's and
women's sports.
"CoSIDA's Academic All-America program is a wonderful opportunity to
highlight and recognize student-athletes' academic success, which can
often go unnoticed," said Peter Davis, NCAA Director of Corporate
Alliances. "Capital One's commitment to the All-America program and
student-athletes who are successful both in the classroom and on the
field will assist in advancing the program's profile within the
intercollegiate community and among fans everywhere."
About Capital One
Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com)
is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital
One, N.A. and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., had $122.2 billion in
deposits and $197.5 billion in total assets outstanding as of December
31, 2010. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad
spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small
businesses and commercial clients. Capital One, N.A. has approximately
1,000 branch locations primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas,
Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune
500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.
Capital One, an NCAA Corporate Champion, began its affiliation with
college sports with the sponsorship of the 2001 Capital One Florida
Citrus Bowl (now the Capital One Bowl) and ESPN's Capital One Bowl Week.
In 2010, Capital One launched the Capital One Cup, a prestigious new
program rewarding NCAA Division I athletics programs for their
cumulative on-field performance across multiple men's and women's
sports. In addition, Capital One sponsors the ABC College Football
Halftime Report, Capital One All-America Mascot Team, all 88 NCAA
Championships including the Division I Men's and Women's Basketball
Championships, and numerous other collegiate athletics programs.
About CoSIDA
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), now in its
55th year as an organization, was founded in 1957-making it
the second oldest management association in intercollegiate
athletics. Today, it is a vibrant 2,700-plus member national association
comprised of the sports public relations, communications and information
professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the
United States and Canada. CoSIDA has two primary missions as it seeks to
have its profession, organization and membership take its
rightful leadership role within the decision-making levels of the
intercollegiate athletics community 1) Help the communications
professionals at all collegiate levels with professional development and
continuing education as it relates to strategically dealing in an
effective manner with the various issues, challenges and opportunities
that now exist within the fast-paced and ever-changing communications
environment. 2) Play a significant leadership and resource role (i.e.
"Strategic Communicators for College Athletics") within the overall
enterprise of collegiate athletics thus helping the other management
groups and their respective memberships deal with a set of
communications-based issues that is the most complex and challenging in
history.
SOURCE: Capital One Financial Corporation
Capital One Financial Corporation
Sukhi Sahni, 703-720-2390
sukhi.sahni@capitalone.com
