CLEVELAND – Maryland men's soccer's Paul Bin was honored as a recipient of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals' (N4A) Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award, the organization announced Wednesday.
The honorees will be recognized during the N4A Convention Awards Luncheon on Saturday, June 8, at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida. Joining Bin in the 2019 class of recipients are Madeline Banic (Tennessee), Noelle Lambert (UMass-Lowell), Maggie Nichols (Oklahoma) and Levi Prater (Oklahoma)
"As we honor this year's N4A Wilma Rudolph Award winners, I reflect on the courage and determination of the Olympian for whom this award is named," stated current N4A President and Senior Associate Athletics Director, Academic Services of University of Oklahoma, Mike Meade. "Wilma's extraordinary character is a shining example to student-athletes who strive to exemplify the spirit of her legacy. As her story illustrates, she defied overwhelming odds after suffering from polio and enduring the long-term effects of this crippling disease. Facing the likelihood of paralysis, she not only learned to walk again, but also become the first female American three-time Olympic gold medal winner in track and field. As a result of her grace and fortitude, she established herself as one of the most decorated U.S. female athletes, and broke records and gender barriers. On behalf of the N4A Board of Directors and our membership, it's an honor and privilege to congratulate the recipients of the 2019 Wilma Rudolph Award. We are so proud of their accomplishments and excited to honor them in Orlando," he concluded.
Bin served as an inspiration inside and outside of the University of Maryland community for his battle with mental health and his subsequent advocacy for mental health awareness in sports. The junior forward played a large role on the field in the Terps capturing their fourth national title in program history in 2018, scoring four goals and adding three assists in 21 matches.
Bin's profile from the N4A
Bin's life was supposed to be every kid's dream. Born in Seoul, South Korea, raised in London, England, he comes from a loving, compassionate family who supported him regardless of who or what he wanted to become. He came to the United States to attend high school at one of the best soccer academies in the U.S. It was there he was scouted by the University of Maryland and eventually committed to play for the Terps; fulfilling his dream. On the outside, it seemed everything was going perfectly for Bin, but internally he struggled with his mental health. His first year at Maryland proved to be difficult, as he battled with depression and anxiety daily. His performance on and off the pitch began to decline dramatically. As his world seemingly crumbled beneath him, suicidal thoughts became more and more frequent, until Bin opened up to his coaches about his battle with mental health. With their unconditional support, he decided it would be best to fly home to Korea to take care of his mental well-being. After a year away from Maryland and his teammates, Bin was welcomed back with open arms and he began to thrive. Bin readjusted to college life, rebuilt relationships, and started to show serious academic promise. However, it was his junior year that he viewed as his redemption year, pushing himself both academically and athletically. He emerged as a leader amongst his peers and played an essential role in the Terps NCAA title run this past year. With the support of those around him, Bin faced his depression head on and has become an advocate for mental health awareness.
About the Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award: The N4A Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award honors student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics. These young men and women may not be the star athletes or best students, and therefore may not have been recognized by other organizations or awards. Nonetheless, they have persevered and made significant personal strides toward success.
About N4A: N4A, which has been in existence since 1975, is a diverse educational service and professional non-profit organization. Membership of N4A includes academic support and student services personnel who are committed to enhancing opportunities for academic, athletics and personal success for student-athletes. For more information on N4A, visit www.nfoura.org. N4A is administered by NACDA, now in its 54th year, administers 17 professional associations, including seven for the separate business units that report directly to the athletics directors. For more information on NACDA, visit www.nacda.com.
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