NCAA COACHES FAROOQ AND LYNN NAMED INAUGURAL RECIPIENTS OF LG LIFE'S GOOD COACHES AWARD

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Nov 07, 2024, 09:58 ET

Student-Athlete-Nominated Award Recognizes Coaches That Foster Mental Health Awareness and Create a Supportive Environment for Student-Athletes

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics USA, an Official NCAA Corporate Partner, announced the inaugural recipients of the LG Life's Good Coaches Award which recognizes coaches that foster mental health awareness and create a supportive environment for student-athletes.

University of Washington women's rowing coach Yasmin Farooq and Oklahoma Christian University men's golf coach David Lynn were honored during a CBS Sports televised segment which aired during the Army Air Force football game this past Saturday.

LG Electronics USA presented University of Washington women’s rowing coach Yasmin Farooq and Oklahoma Christian University men’s golf coach David Lynn with the LG Life’s Good Coaches Award, which recognizes coaches that foster mental health awareness and create a supportive environment for student-athletes.

LG’s student-athlete-nominated award honors collegiate coaches across all NCAA sports and divisions who are creating supportive environments that empower their students and teams.

The LG Life's Good Coaches Award was introduced at the NCAA Men's Final Four in Phoenix in March, in conjunction with a check dedication to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The award honors collegiate coaches across all NCAA sports and divisions who are creating supportive environments that empower their students and teams. By recognizing their pivotal role in fostering positivity, the award celebrates coaches who are breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health in sports. For more information about the award, the nomination process and submission details, visit www.lg.com/ncaa.

NCAA student-athletes were invited to nominate coaches which were then judged by an expert panel including former UCLA and professional basketball star Kevin Love and former Vanderbilt University and USA Lacrosse star Cailin Bracken.

"Both Yazmin and David truly embody the spirit of our corporate motto "Life's Good" and certainly embody what the LG Life's Good Coach's Award was created to recognize and elevate," said LG USA's head of marketing Louis Giagrande who surprised Farooq and Lynn during the segment this past weekend with the news.

"LG believes in uplifting people to foster an open dialogue with a network of resources to truly make life good for all," said Giagrande. "By prioritizing initiatives focused on mental health awareness, our goal is to nurture an environment where student-athletes feel validated and empowered in addressing the complex challenges of mental health, while supporting them as they pursue successful athletic careers. We applaud the work of Yasmin and David in prioritizing this for their athletes."

"It is a tremendous honor to receive the Life's Good Coaches Award," Lynn said. "The role of mental health for our student-athletes is more significant than ever. The pressures they face combined with their drive to compete at the highest level mean we as coaches and mentors should continue to find ways to champion them and give them permission to seek help and support when they need it. I've always believed that addressing mental health head-on can improve performance and change lives."

"I'm very honored to receive this award, especially since the nomination came from members of the Washington Rowing team," said Farooq. "It's especially gratifying that LG has chosen to emphasize mental health and wellness for student-athletes. Focusing on mental wellbeing is critical in our student athletes' development as human beings. And, from a performance standpoint I've learned that strong mental health helps teammates support each other and stick together when it gets hard, just like in life. At Washington, we believe that's ultimately been a key to some of our greatest successes."

In addition to the award, Farooq and Lynn received cash and product donations from LG to support a mental health initiative of their choosing at their respective universities.

About Yasmin Farooq
Farooq is entering her 9th season as the head coach of the University of Washington women's rowing team. In Farooq's first season with the Huskies in 2017, her team swept the NCAA Championship for the first time in history, then repeated the feat in 2019 setting NCAA records in all three events. Farooq spent the first 10 years of her collegiate coaching career at Stanford University, where she helped the Cardinal win its first-ever Pac-12 and NCAA titles in rowing. She has been named Pac-12 coach of the year six times and national coach of the year three times. Farooq is a two-time Olympian and world champion in rowing. She was inducted into the USRowing Hall of Fame in 2014 and awarded the Ernestine Bayer Woman of the Year award by USRowing in 2017. Farooq is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin where she was a national champion and captain of the rowing team. In 2021, she was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame.

About David Lynn
Lynn is in his 24th season leading the men's golf program at OC, guiding the Eagles to NCAA Division II National semifinals and finalist appearances for the last three seasons. A 1995 OC graduate, Lynn has been honored as a Conference Coach of the Year 11 times in three different leagues and the National Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2023 respectively. He has steered OC to over 70 team tournament titles throughout his career. An OC Athletic Hall of Fame inductee and Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, Lynn's legacy has shaped OC golf and OC athletics, at large. Championing mental health is a top priority at OC. The university houses a free on-campus counseling center, providing confidential support and resources for all students, including athletes. To learn more about OC, visit oc.edu.

To learn more about LG's partnership with the NCAA visit www.lg.com/ncaa.

About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $60-billion-plus global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, energy solutions and vehicle components. LG is an 11-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. www.LG.com.