Allstate Partners with College Basketball Coaches Associations to Launch National Community Service Award

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Jan. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Allstate Insurance Company, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) today announced the creation of the Allstate NABC Good Works Team^® and the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team^®. The awards will recognize a unique group of men's and women's college basketball student-athletes who stand out for their charitable achievements and community involvement.

The Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams^® will each be composed of 10 college basketball student-athletes who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement, as determined by separate voting panels composed of former coaches, student-athletes and media. The first recipients of the awards will be announced on Feb. 26, 2013.

"Whether we see it or not, college basketball student-athletes across the country are making a positive impact on their campuses and in their communities every day," said Pam Hollander, senior director of marketing for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2013 NABC and WBCA Good Works Team^® selection panels.  "This award honors these student-athletes with the recognition they deserve for giving back, much like Allstate has done the past five years through college football's Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team."

Athletic departments are nominating deserving student-athletes for the Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams^® on behalf of their schools. Former University of Arizona student-athlete, five-time NBA champion and college basketball analyst Steve Kerr will headline the Allstate NABC Good Works Team^® voting panel, while women's professional basketball star Tamika Catchings, who played at the University of Tennessee, will serve on the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team^® panel.

The 10-player Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams^® will each feature five student-athletes from the NCAA^® Division I level and five student-athletes from NCAA^® Divisions II, III and the NAIA.

"The NABC is proud to join Allstate in creating the Good Works Team to recognize the many significant contributions that college basketball players are making in their communities," said Jim Haney, National Association of Basketball Coaches executive director. "This is a fantastic opportunity to highlight the many compelling stories of student-athletes who embody the spirit of giving back.

Members of the Allstate NABC Good Works Team^® will be invited by Allstate, an official corporate partner of the NCAA^®, to the 2013 NABC Convention and 2013 NCAA^® Men's Final Four^® in Atlanta, where they will participate in a community project in the city. Members of the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team^® will be recognized during the 2013 WBCA Convention and at the 2013 NCAA^® Women's Final Four^® in New Orleans, and will also participate in a local community project.

"The WBCA is excited to partner with Allstate to recognize the great works our student-athletes are engaged in throughout their communities," said Beth Bass, CEO of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. "We hope that the student-athletes honored with this award will serve as a model and inspiration to future generations seeking ways to give back."

In addition to Hollander, Kerr and Catchings, the 2013 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Team^® selection panel members include: former college basketball student-athletes Greg Anthony (UNLV), Alana Beard (Duke) and former NABC Player of the Year Jason Williams (Duke), former head coaches Bobby Cremins, Al Skinner, Marsha Sharp, and Nell Fortner, WBCA board member Coquese Washington, and college basketball media members Seth Davis, Andy Katz, Carolyn Peck, and LaChina Robinson.

Since 2008, Allstate has partnered with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as sponsor of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^®, which shines a spotlight on the positive, off-the-field impact college football student-athletes have on their communities. Through an arrangement with the AFCA, NABC and WBCA, Allstate is able to expand the Good Works Team^® to also recognize college basketball student-athletes at all levels who donate their time and effort to make a difference off the court.

More information about the Allstate NABC Good Works Team^® and the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team^® is available at www.nabc.org and www.wbca.org.

About Allstate

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names. Widely known by its slogan "You're in Good Hands with Allstate^®," Allstate offers insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate^®. As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $28 million in 2011 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

About the National Basketball Coaches Association

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.

About the Women's Basketball Coaches Association

Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.

About AFCA

The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football."

NCAA, Final Four and Women's Final Four are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company