ATLANTA – Academy of Art University women's basketball and track & field artist-athlete Jasmin Guinn has been named one of 17 semi-finalists for the 12th Annual Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup presented by Athletes for a Better World, an organization dedicated to positive mentoring of young people in sport. Regarded as the highest award in college sports, the Wooden Cup is unique because it is open to all athletes in all sports (all NCAA divisions), recognizes athletic as well as academic accomplishments, and is given to those who have made the greatest difference in the lives of others.

?John Wooden, one of the greatest coaches and positive role models in the history of the NCAA, gave Athletes for a Better World permission to present an award in his name. The Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup is presented to two distinguished athletes from any sport – one intercollegiate and one professional – that best display character, teamwork, and citizenship, the attributes Athletes for a Better World deems central to transforming individuals, sport, and society. The award establishes the recipients as athletes of excellence both on and off the field, role models both as performers and persons, the most important and distinctive honor athletes can achieve.

"Being named a semi-finalist for this award is a complete honor," said Guinn. "I am extremely thankful and feel very blessed to be honored in this way. I just want to thank my coaches and administration for putting me in a position to excel. Most importantly, I want to thank my family for being my biggest support system and my greatest mentors."

In three plus years at Academy of Art, Guinn has embodied discipline, artistic passion, and leadership in the San Francisco community. Recruited to play basketball and compete in track & field, Guinn came to ART U in 2012 with a history of success as a student-athlete. She proceeded to translate her 3.96 GPA at Berkeley High School into numerous collegiate academic honors in pursuit of an undergraduate degree in Animation & Visual Effects and championships in both sports all while exemplifying the role of a servant-leader with her continued community service.

??Guinn made an immediate impact in her freshman year at Academy of Art (2012-13), contributing to the best season in the history of the women's basketball program. That team would pioneer the Urban Knights in the postseason, earning the Pacific West Conference Tournament Championship and making its first NCAA Tournament appearance.

The very next season (2013-14), Guinn had arguably her best year to date. Named the PacWest Defensive Player of the Year, she played a major role in the Urban Knights' PacWest Conference women's basketball regular season title, helped ART U repeat as PacWest Tournament Champions, and once again competed in the NCAA Tournament.

After earning All-PacWest First Team honors as the team's leading scorer in 2014-15, Guinn has not missed a beat in what has been a memorable senior year thus far. Guinn is currently the top scorer in the PacWest Conference, has been named both PacWest Player and Defender of the Week, and ranks first in the entire NCAA Division II in total steals. One of her biggest highlights was becoming the first Urban Knight to score 1,000 career points on Nov. 20.

"It's an honor to have one of my student athletes not just nominated, but also a semi-finalist for an award named after one of the best coaches and motivators of all time," said head coach LaNay Larson. "Thank you to the committee and also thank you to John Wooden for how he impacted not only his own players, but the game and our profession! I have never had an athlete with such natural ability who has been so coachable and made such big strides over a career. She is someone who works tirelessly on both her game and her craft, which makes her such a well-rounded and amazing person. I feel extremely blessed to have her as a part of my program and a part of my life."

As a sophomore in track & field, Guinn was named the PacWest Conference Long Jump Champion, All-PacWest First Team, and earned a place on the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Track & Field Team.

Throughout her tenure at ART U, Guinn has demonstrated a tremendous work ethic, vision, and focus on Animation & Visual Effects, where she has excelled greatly as an artist-athlete. Guinn earned PacWest Academic Honors each of her three years to date, contributing to a cumulative 3.24 GPA thus far.

When not diligently working on the basketball court or in the classroom, Guinn has spent much of her free time giving back to the San Francisco community. Beginning last year, ART U women's basketball established a meaningful connection with Redding Elementary School in San Francisco where Guinn and the Urban Knights would spend 10 days each year. Among the numerous examples, Guinn was part of Academy of Art University's work with LEAP, a local non-profit that provides arts education programs to elementary and middle schools, during their 32nd Annual Sandcastle Contest in October. Additionally, throughout her collegiate career, she has been a regular contributor to the work done by the Urban Knights' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women in Leadership Development (WILD).

Respected and admired by her teammates, coaches, and other athletes at ART U, Guinn was selected for the department's annual honor of Urban Knight of the Year in 2014.

Though not among the five finalists for the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, Guinn is the first Academy of Art University female student-athlete to be named a semi-finalist after Brady Fiero of men's soccer had the same honor in 2015.

"Having Jasmin Guinn follow Brady Fiero as a semi-finalist for the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup shows that our student-athletes, coaches, and university are fully committed to having all-around success," said Director of Athletics Colin Preston. "Jasmin has been such a vital piece to our overall athletic program and I'm excited to see her succeed not only with her remaining education, but in the future as well."