Texas A&M junior swimmer Jonathan Tybur earned a 2017 National STUDENT-Athlete Day Giant Steps Award for his courageous battle against ulceritis colitis, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) announced.
Tybur, from College Park High School in The Woodlands, Texas, was diagnosed with the painful autoimmune disease at age 15, which sidetracked his promising junior swimming career. He enrolled at Texas A&M as a non-scholarship swimmer, but he was able to overcome his condition to become a team captain for the Aggies’ swimming and diving team in 2016-17 and earn honorable mention All-America honors at the 2017 NCAA Championships. Since his diagnosis, Tybur has worked tirelessly to bring awareness to the disease.
Tybur will be honored at the annual Giant Steps Awards Banquet and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 26, 2017 in Orlando, Fla. The Giant Steps Awards are given in conjunction with the celebration of National STUDENT-Athlete Day, a program of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS). Giant Steps Awards are given to individuals who have overcome adversity while still succeeding in life, who use sport as a vehicle for positive social change, break down barriers to provide opportunities to those who would normally not have them, and individuals who inspire us to do great things using the positive aspects of sport.
National STUDENT-Athlete Day also honors high school and college student-athletes nationwide for their hard work and dedication in the classroom and on the playing field, while making significant contributions to their schools and communities. Since its inception, over 4.3 million student-athletes have been honored with award certificates for their outstanding achievements.