Cohen will receive the NCAA's highest award during the Association's Honors Dinner January 7 in Orlando.

Cohen, who also was a member of the NCAA's 1987 Silver Anniversary class, said the awad ranks among his greatest achievements.

"I've won two awards that are named after presidents (former President Eisenhower's name is on the other) and this is one of them. That in itself makes it special," he said. "And any time you have an award of national prominence, that makes it special. With Teddy Roosevelt, given his robust intellect and athleticism and what he means to this country, this is very special."

Cohen's professional career began at a fledgling law practice with a former schoolmate in his hometown of Bangor, Maine. Through various civic projects, he built enough of a reputation that he eventually was elected to city council and as mayor, then to three terms each in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

In 1996, during his third term as senator, the Maine Republican was asked by President Clinton to cross party lines and become the administration's third secretary of defense, succeeding William Perry and Les Aspin. The surprise offer came after Cohen, who has never lost an election, announced unexpectedly in 1995 that he would not seek a fourth term in the Senate, citing his disappointment with the partisan nature of Congress.

Cohen said his athletics background has benefited him greatly through his distinguished career.

"The self-discipline one has to develop to improve on the athletics field through the rigors of training, in knowing the consequences if you violate the rules, and in the need to study the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent, creates a strong foundation for anyone to succeed in any field," said Cohen, who is a member of the New England Athletic Hall of Fame. "You learn all of those in college athletics. All of those are important in business and the same is true of politics."

After graduation from Bowdoin, Cohen toyed with trying out for the American Basketball Association, which was just starting. He thought the three-point shot (which the NBA and NCAA did not yet have), might give him a role. He realized, however, given his size and talent, that that would have been a quite a challenge.

Cohen instead earned his law degree from Boston University, achieving the same cum laude status he had as an undergraduate.

He has authored or co-authored nine books, including international-espionage novels and books of poetry. The former Latin scholar was penning another novel in 1995 when President Clinton asked him to cross party lines to "secure the bipartisan support that America's armed forces must have and clearly deserve."

In his current role, Cohen serves as the principal defense policy advisor to the president and is responsible for the formulation and execution of general defense policy and policy related to all matters of direct concern to the Department of Defense.