2017 MAC Giant Steps Recipients Announced
The Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham football player and Manhattanville Men’s Lacrosse Team will receive the award on Tuesday at the 17th annual MAC Awards Luncheon
ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has announced the 2017 recipients of the MAC Giant Steps Awards. Darryl Campbell, a member of the Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus football program, and the Manhattanville College Men’s Lacrosse team will receive their awards officially on Tuesday, May 2 at the 17th Annual MAC Awards Luncheon at DeSales University.
The MAC Giant Steps Award is given to individuals or teams who have overcome adversity while still succeeding in life, who use sports as a vehicle for positive social change, who break down barriers to provide opportunities to those who follow behind them, and those who inspire us to do great things using the positive aspects of sport.
The MAC SAAC acknowledges the impact that Darryl Campbell and the Manhattanville men's lacrosse team have had on their campus and greater communities,” said Marie Stroman, MAC Associate Executive Director. “Honoring them with the Giant Steps Award is a tangible way to recognize the power of sport within each of our student-athletes.”
This year, the recipients of the MAC Giant Steps Award are Darryl Campbell of Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham Campus and the Manhattanville College Men’s Lacrosse team.
Darryl Campbell, Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham Campus
Darryl Campbell was an FDU-Florham football player for three seasons after transferring to the institution in 2014. At birth, Darryl’s parents divorced, and he recently found out his mother had breast cancer in the fall of 2015. Although she did not have health insurance at the time, Darryl and his parents decided he needed to stay in school to earn his degree. From then until the end of the school year, Darryl took on extra jobs and worked more hours for his current employer to send money to his mother in Florida to assist with medical bills.
During his senior season this past fall, where he played more than half of all defensive snaps for the Devils, Darryl worked a full-time schedule at a job approximately thirty minutes from campus. Through this time, he had his best semester academically, earning a 3.5 GPA on a full credit load. He was the main source of support—financially and emotionally—for his mother, and was there whenever she needed to talk. Darryl’s mother said repeatedly that Darryl was the reason she was alive, because he loved her and gave her a reason to live. This was the ultimate sacrifice of a son for his mother, and one that many his age would not make.
Manhattanville College Men’s Lacrosse Team
On October 9, 2016, student-athlete Robby Schartner was struck and killed by a drunk driver just miles away from the Manhattanville campus. Robby was a light to the team, the athletic department, and the campus community, and his presence is sorely missed. In honor of Robby, the Valiant men’s lacrosse team dedicated the 2016-17 season to their teammate whom they lost too soon.
The team takes the field each game holding an RS3 flag, representing Robby’s initials and jersey number. A campaign with the hashtag #TeamThree began and instantly took off after the accident, and many have shown an outpouring of support for Robby and his family. He was known for his infectious smile and reminding those around him to “never leave your smile at home.” As a result, the team and athletic department have taken that phrase on as a mantra. It is evident that the team has grown through this experience, on and off the field. Many have recognized the team’s rally around each other, where they have found strength through this tragedy and remembered what is important in life and in sports: to enjoy every moment and always remember to smile.