The Inspiration Award, created by the NCAA Honors Committee this year, may be presented to a coach or administrator currently associated with intercollegiate athletics, or to a current or former varsity letter-winner at an NCAA institution who, when confronted with a life-altering situation, used perseverance, dedication and determination to overcome the event and now serves as a role model to give hope and inspiration to others in similar situations.

Maloy, a track and cross country runner, completed her career and graduated in 2001 despite being the victim a violent crime during her high-school days and a serious traffic accident during her junior year in college.

In 1994, at age 15, she was abducted during a training run, raped twice, then shot five times and left for dead. Her body still carries two bullets in her lungs and one in her head as a reminder of the horriffic day. Her mother quit her job and became a full-time victims' advocate a result of the crime. The perpetrator is serving a 103-year jail sentence.

Immobilized for four months, she rehabilitated her body while taking summer courses and ran both cross country and track again, graduating on time at the end of the spring semester. She completed her career having twice attained all-Heartland College Athletic Conference honors in both sports.

Maloy continues to speak before youth groups about what a person can overcome to achieve goals.

He returned to school in January 2000. In October of that year, Paneno, the eldest of three boys, was tested again. His middle brother Rocky, who was studying abroad in Italy at the time, was injured when a seventh-floor balcony collapsed. Sam's brother survived but was now a paraplegic who needed a kidney transplant. Sam volunteered to donate one of his -- and was found to be a match -- but was not allowed to follow through by physicians, who feared possible medical complications. His mother plans to donate a kidney instead.