After the closest vote in the history of the John Wooden Citizenship Cup required a second vote to break a tie, the landmark decision was made Thursday night to name all five 2008 amateur finalists, including Ball State University senior guard Peyton Stovall, as winners.
William Bruce, a hockey player for Division III Williams College, was voted the Wooden Cup winner on the second vote, but another award recipient helped all five finalists go down as winners.
Andrea Jaeger, former women's professional tennis player who was the professional recipient of the cup, recommended to the Wooden Cup board of directors during her acceptance speech that all five finalists be declared winners, a suggestion that was met with a standing ovation and quickly accepted.
"When you look back at the 2008 recipients, I want all five names listed as winners," Jaeger said during her speech.
In addition to each name being listed as winners, the board granted each finalist $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.
"God is good," Stovall said during his speech Thursday night. "I am extremely blessed. To be here with the other finalists and Andrea Jaeger is something I will never forget."
With Stovall and Bruce as winners were Missouri Western State University women's basketball player Jill Johnson, Wayne State University hockey player Ashley King and Bloomfield College baseball player Jonathan Moehlig.
"This truly is a proud moment for Ball State basketball and the university," coach Billy Taylor, who attended Thursday night's presentation, said in a press release. "More importantly, it is a proud moment for Peyton Stovall and his family."
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