MACU Sports
Levi Convirs, Sports Information Director
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mid-America Christian University men’s basketball senior guard Malcolm Mann’s on-court accolades have been well documented, but his transcendent impact off the court is now being recognized in a big way as he has been chosen to receive the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Game Plan 4 Life (GP4L) Male Student-Athlete Character award.
The criteria for the honor was based on the student-athlete that consistently demonstrates love, integrity, faith and excellence within college athletics, their campus, and their home/college community.
“I am unapologetically biased, but I cannot imagine a finer young man to represent the NCCAA’s core values than Malcolm Mann,” said MACU Athletic Director Marcus Moeller, who accepted the award on Mann’s behalf tonight at the Hall of Fame Banquet as part of the NCCAA Annual Convention on June 1 in Louisville, Ky.
“Simply put, the story of Mid-America Christian University and our athletic department is far better off today than when Malcolm first arrived on campus.”
This is not the first honor Mann has received for his outstanding character, as he also garnered the school’s first-ever “Heart of Evangel” award last year, which is given to the student-athlete that best represents the university/athletic department in the areas of spiritual leadership, community involvement, as well as academic and athletic prowess.
As the men’s basketball head coach, Josh Gamblin had the best seat in the house for Mann’s buzzer-beating, game-winning shot that propelled the Evangels to their first-ever NAIA National Championship last season.
But its clear Gamblin appreciates everything about Mann that goes far beyond the hardwood.
“I cannot put into words what Malcolm has meant to me and our program,” Gamblin said. “To say he is special would be an extreme understatement.”
“He is mature well beyond his years and what he has done for our campus and program is historic to say the least. He is the perfect representative for the NCCAA and the GP4L award.”
In addition to hitting perhaps the most infamous shot in school history, Mann also recorded a single-season record (as an NAIA school) 184 assists last year and finished his career with 338 assists, the fourth most for the Evangels as an NAIA program.
Mann’s off the court endeavors have included interning at Frito Lay in Flint, Michigan and doing a project in which the goal was to “Quantify the effect of the Flint water crisis”. During his time with Frito Lay he also served the community by leading Frito Lay’s group into a block party for the crisis awareness for the region that was mostly effected by the water crisis.
He also became the first ever basketball player at MACU to become president of the Student Government Association.
Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, the NCCAA strives to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ through its 24 National Championships and 1 National Invitational. For more information on the NCCAA, contact the NCCAA National Office at (864) 250-1199 or visit www.thenccaa.org.