John Cena to Receive Silver Anniversary Award From NCAA

– The NCAA announced that actor and WWE Superstar John Cena is going to receive the 2024 Silver Anniversary Award, which honors former student-athletes for their outstanding collegiate and professional achievements on the 25th anniversary of their college athletics careers. Cena will be honored with the award at the NCAA’s January convention. Here are some additional details:

Meet the 2024 Silver Anniversary Award recipients

Former student-athletes to be recognized at NCAA Convention

At its Convention in January, the NCAA will honor six former student-athletes for their outstanding collegiate and professional achievements.

The Silver Anniversary Award recipients are recognized on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their college athletics careers. The awardees were nominated by administrators at their undergraduate school and are selected by a panel of former student-athletes and representatives from NCAA member schools and conferences.

The 2024 recipients are Nicole Aunapu Mann, Jerry Azumah, Shannon Boxx, John Cena, Misty May-Treanor and Cindy Parlow Cone. The awardees will be celebrated Wednesday, Jan. 10, at the NCAA Convention Welcome and Awards Presentation in Phoenix.

Learn more about the 2024 recipients below:

2024 Silver Anniversary Award – John Cena

John Cena
School: Springfield College
Major: Applied exercise science
Sport: Football

As a student-athlete: John Cena served as one of three captains on the 1998 Springfield football team that went 9-2 and advanced to the Division III tournament. At season’s end, the accolades rolled in for the senior, as he was named a Hewlett-Packard Division III first-team All-American, a Football Gazette All-American, an Eastern College Athletic Conference New England/Northeast Division III All-Star and a New England Football Writers Division II/III All-Star. A three-time Freedom Football Conference All-Academic honoree, Cena was inducted into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015 and was honored at Springfield College’s 40 Under 40 Awards Celebration in 2017.

As a professional: While football ended for Cena after his time at Springfield, he put his athleticism to use as a professional wrestler. Now, he’s one of the most recognizable sports and entertainment faces in the world as a World Wrestling Entertainment superstar and 16-time world champion. He is also well known as an actor and former rapper. His philanthropic work is just as notable. Cena has been especially involved with Make-A-Wish, granting more than 650 wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, which is more than anyone else involved with the organization. He’s also been an advocate in anti-bullying efforts and promoting the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. Additionally, he’s been heavily involved with the Susan G. Komen organization, which strives to eradicate breast cancer, and has worked with WWE to raise more than $1.5 million to support that mission. The collection of these efforts led to him receiving the 2018 Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award in recognition of his leadership as a philanthropist.