by by ndnsports.com
(Louisville, KY) – With only 3 days left until Jude Schimmel plays her final game at the KFC! Yum center on February 26th, we thought we would highlight three prestigious awards that Jude has won during her playing career at Louisville.
Although Jude’s basketball numbers statistically aren’t as flashy compared to older sister Shoni, Jude has had just as much impact during games on the court as Shoni has with her court leadership and her proven point guard abilities over the years. During Jude’s 4 years at Louisville, she has played in the Big East Conference, the American Athletic Conference (AAC), and now the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Statistically during that time, she has ranked very well in the assists and steals columns from those conferences. Currently, she ranks fifth in the ACC conference in steals (51) and sixth in assists (93).
The awards Jude has been recognized for over the years haven’t been for what she has accomplished on the court, they have been for her achievements off-the-court. Here are the three top awards that are worthy of mentioning:
(3) Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI) Phil Homeratha Leadership Award – This award, given annually by the NABI basketball tournament out of Phoenix, Arizona, was given to both Jude and Shoni back in 2013. The award is named after the late Phil Homeratha who was a longtime coach at Haskell Indian Nations University for many sports and he was also a major supporter of the NABI tournament in its beginnings. It is given to individuals who are making a difference in the lives of Native American youth or have accomplished something in their career in the advancement of Native Athletes. Their achievements in the sport of basketball has been inspirational and will continue to inspire our Native American youth for years to come. It was an easy selection” says Gina Marie Scarpa Co-founder of the NABI Foundation. After the 2013 championship game loss to UCONN, the Schimmel sisters and their parents traveled to over 17 different reservations that summer to speak to aspiring Native American youth and fans from all over. Since that time, they have continued to reach out to many more reservations and Native American communities speaking and signing autographs for fans. Those activities also led Jude to win her next award below.
(2) GLAMOUR Magazine Top 10 College Women Award – In May of 2014, Jude appeared in Glamour magazine as one of their Top 10 Women of College. Each year the magazine highlights 10 dynamic young women who show campus leadership, scholastic achievement, and community involvement. Jude was selected from a pool of over 1,000 applicants for the award. As a recipient of the award Jude was able to travel to New York City and participate in a panel alongside: Danielle Brooks (actress, “Orange is the New Black”), Greta Gerwing (actress and writer, “Frances Ha”), Gina Keatley (TV host, “Healthy Soul with Gina Keatley”), Dyllan McGee (Emmy award-winning documentarian), Shiza Shahid (CEO, the Malala Fund) and Colleen McGuinness (writer and producer, “30 Rock”). That 2014 season, Schimmel helped lead the Cardinals to a 33-5 record this season while averaging 5.6 points and 3.5 assists per game. She was also named a WBCA Good Works team nominee. “I’ll never forget where I come from,” she told Glamour. “I want to show my five younger siblings and my community that it’s possible to live their dreams.”
(1) Elite 89 award for the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship – The most significant and influential award that helped Jude win her previous awards was earning the NCAA’s Elite 89 award. The award, founded by the NCAA, honors an individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships. A sociology major at the time, Schimmel carried a 3.737 grade-point average. To win the ward, eligible student-athletes must be sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must have be an active member of the team, traveling and competing at the championship. Since that time, Jude graduated in 3 years with her Bachelor’s degree and started off the 2014-2015 season by working towards her Master’s degree in sports administration. In a press conference at Red Lake last year Jude said, “We have to mix basketball with academics, you get decent grades or you don’t play. But balance is a key part of life, this is what we are told by the elders. Grades are important, you have to set priorities. Don’t give up. Go after what you want. There’s always going to be ups and downs. If there’s something negative, try to find something positive in it.”
Jude is a first class Lady,and that’s a fact.
Jude has been a class act for Louisville for four years. I have enjoyed following her and Shoni all these years.