Campbellsville University Athletics

Campbellsville University's Deja' Thompson has been named the Mid-South Conference Champions of Character award winner for women's indoor track & field, conference officials announced today.
 
Champions of Character is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) initiative that recognizes athletes who mirror the core values — integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.
 
Every nominee is required to supply a letter of recommendation from their coach and also a personal letter to the conference athletics directors, who form the voting committee.
 
"Deja' came on to our team as a walk-on during her freshmen year and finished the season holding the indoor weight throw record, the outdoor hammer record and winning the hammer throw at the MSC Championships for outdoor track and field in 2015.
 
"Deja' is someone who we can always count on as a team leader and someone who is always leading by example" continued Lakes. "She is someone who stands out, leads, and will continue to be a great leader and not just on the track and field team.  She is someone who constantly upholds the NAIA Characteristics through everything she does and not just in athletics."
 
She plans to join the Kentucky State Police and begin a career as a state trooper upon completion of her education at Campbellsville University. She says she wants to be able to lead and guide adolescents through some of their most difficult years by helping them discover themselves while discovering Christ.
           
"It is an honor to hear that I have yet again been nominated for the Champion of Character Award," said Thompson in her letter of nomination. "As I reflect, I truly am humbled to see that my efforts have been acknowledged. Do I truly display the core values? The answer is mind-blowingly simple, yes."
 
Thompson has lived the core values all her life, something she felt she had to do as a young black women.
 
"Respect, coming from a young, black woman who has endured many hateful moments in life, is a concept I feel is earned and not given. As a person of color, I have had to work harder to justify why I, as a human being, should be valued and respected.
 
"Integrity is being morally upright and honest or plainly owning up to one's mistakes. I believe I exemplified integrity the most as a Freshman Mentor. When connecting with the students, I made a point to tell them the struggles, downfalls, and ugly truths about my time in college.
"Servant Leadership can be tied in with respect and integrity. The best example of a servant leader is Christ. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. We are to be Christ-like; meaning we are to remain just, humble, and loving.
 
"I find it interesting that if you Google the word 'responsibility', you will see the synonym 'leadership' – meaning you can't have one without the other. Whether we are responsible for ourselves or for a multitude, we are in charge of, in control of, and overseers of the things that must be accomplished.
 
"Sportsmanship is knowing and accepting that in everything you do, someone might just be better than you. As a Throws athlete who started competing her senior year of high school, I am already at a disadvantage; but I do what I can. I train, I listen, I have a hunger to get better, and I use that as my fuel. I realize that there will be others who are more advanced than I am, but rather than sulk in pity.
 
 
Deja'  Thompson's List of Activities and Achievements
 

• Dean's List: Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, and Fall 2016
• Current Record Holder for:
• Women's Heavy Weight Throw  (broken in 2014, 2015, and 2017)
• Women's Hammer Throw (broken in 2014 and 2015)
• 2015 Mid-South Conference Women's Hammer Throw Champion
• 2016 Mid-South Conference Women's Hammer Throw Runner-Up
• Recipient of the Carter G. Woodson Legacy Award Presented for Outstanding Academic Leadership and Community Service
• Active in the Campbellsville Theater Department
• Campbellsville University Church Outreach Worship Leader
• Resident Assistant
• Fall Semester '16 Freshman Mentor

 
To follow women's track throughout the year, check out www.campbellsvill tigers.com on the web, @Cville_XCTrack and @CvilleTigers on Twitter and Campbellsville Tigers on Facebook.