NCAA Community Impact Awarded to SUNY Oneonta Through Students

Through service that extends far beyond competition, SUNY Oneonta's student-athletes are demonstrating how leadership, learning and community impact go hand in hand.

Oneonta has been selected from more than 430 NCAA Division III institutions nationwide to receive the NCAA Community Engagement Impact Award, a top honor recognizing student-athletes who made an extraordinary difference through service between September and December 2025.

The Red Dragons led all Division III programs across the country with 100 percent student-athlete participation and an average of 13 service hours per student-athlete, totaling 7,276 hours of community engagement by more than 500 student-athletes representing 21 teams.

Those efforts translated into an estimated $253,149 in economic impact, based on Independent Sector's national value of volunteer time.

"Service is a core value of our institution," said Director of Athletics Ryan Hooper. "Our student-athletes' commitment to giving back reflects the very best of who we are-not just competitors on the field, but leaders who understand the impact they can make beyond it. Their dedication, compassion and willingness to serve our community demonstrate the character we strive to build every day."

Full story: https://suny.oneonta.edu/news/suny-oneonta-earns-ncaa-community-impact-award