DALLAS, Texas — WKU Hilltopper Basketball forward Moustapha Diagne has been named 1 of 14 recipients of the Air Force Reserve C-USA Winter Spirit of Service Award, as announced by the Conference USA office on Wednesday.
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The C-USA Spirit of Service Award is designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league's student-athletes, based upon significant public service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport. The award is presented three times throughout the season, with Wednesday's honorees representing winter sports: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track & field, rifle and men's and women's swimming.
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This is the third straight year that WKU's Winter Spirit of Service honoree has come from men's basketball.
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Diagne – a 6-foot-9 native of Rufisque, Senegal – has been a leader for the Hilltoppers in community service this year, including a cultural-exchange trip to Belize last summer with the sports mission group Sports Reach.
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On the trip, Diagne and others on the trip played basketball games, but they also led basketball clinics for local children and visited children's homes and churches.
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This school year, Diagne has also welcomed and played with campers with developmental disabilities from city program Camp Happy Days twice, donated school supplies to the local Stuff the Bus supply drive, volunteered with area children at the United Way Day of Caring, and ran stations to teach basketball to children at the Center for Courageous Kids' weekend retreat for those with debilitating asthma.
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He has also been a representative for the program during area grade schools' field trips to campus and the arena.
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Diagne is on track to graduate with a year of playing eligibility remaining and plans to begin pursuing his master's degree.
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He appeared in 13 games for WKU in 2018-19, including the final seven games of the season while proving to be one of the team's best vocal leaders throughout the year.
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Diagne averaged 9.4 minutes per game during that final stretch as a key reserve off the bench. He also averaged 1.4 rebounds per game despite his limited playing time.
2019 C-USA Winter Spirit of Service Award Winners
Taylor Parcells, Charlotte, Women's Indoor Track & Field
Alexa Bryant, FIU, Women's Swimming & Diving
Kelsey Witkay, Florida Atlantic, Women's Swimming & Diving
Taylor Stahly, Louisiana Tech, Women's Basketball
Kristen Mayo, Marshall, Women's Basketball
Alex Johnson, Middle Tennessee, Women's Basketball
Meaghan Rousset, North Texas, Women's Swimming & Diving
Amanda Caruso, Old Dominion, Women's Swimming & Diving
Hanna Huston, Rice, Women's Swimming & Diving
Lina May, Southern Miss, Women's Indoor Track & Field
Rachael Childress, UAB, Women's Basketball
Katarina Zec, UTEP, Women's Basketball
Tija Hawkins, UTSA, Women's Basketball
Moustapha Diagne, WKU, Men's Basketball
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