CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois women's gymnastics senior Mia Townes has been named a finalist for the 2023 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, a prestigious award which recognizes athletes for their efforts in their sport and the community. 

John Wooden, the award's namesake, was one of the greatest coaches and positive role models in the history of the NCAA. The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup is presented to six distinguished athletes from any sport – male/female high school, male/female intercollegiate, and male/female professional – who best display character, teamwork, and citizenship. The award establishes the recipients as athletes of excellence and role models as performers and persons, and is the most important and distinctive honor athletes can achieve.

Townes has been made a finalist after her and fellow senior Mia Takekawa's performance in the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Individual Championships, as well as her work with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the Executive Board Member and Branding & Marketing Representative. She has also volunteered at the National Girls and Women in Sport Day Clinic, the Crisis Nursery, the Make A Wish Walk for Wishes Trunk or Treat, Carrie Busey 5K.  

Townes is the first female at Illinois to be named a finalist for the Coach Wooden Citizenship cup, after former football player Joe Spencer was the recipient in 2017. 

The announcement of the one male and one female College Cup recipients will be made during the first week of January, 2023.