2020 Kaboom! Awards: Megan C. Fong Inspiration Award

Women's Basketball center Chelsea Brackmann and Soccer midfielder Saadiq Mohammed are co-winners of the 2020 Megan Fong Inspiration Award

Megan C. Fong Inspiration Award

General 5/14/2020 11:00:00 AM

The 2020 Bradley Athletics Kaboom! Awards, presented by RE/MAX Traders Unlimited and supported by PNC, continues today with the presentation of the Megan C. Fong Inspiration Award, which is honoring co-recipients this year: women's basketball senior forward Chelsea Brackmann (New Berlin, WI/Eisenhower HS) and soccer junior midfielder Saadiq Mohammed (Mogadishu, Somalia).

The Megan C. Fong Inspiration Award was created in 2003 and is presented, as warranted, to individuals associated with the Bradley Department of Athletics who display perseverance, dedication and determination when confronted with a life-altering event while serving as a role model and inspiration to others. The award was created as a tribute to the late Megan Fong, the Bradley women's tennis player who died in August of 2002 as a result of complications from her eight-month bout with leukemia.

Brackmann has been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, but battled through severe bouts with the disease the last two years to become Bradley Women's Basketball's all-time leading rebounder, while earning All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team honors the last two years and landing on the 2020 Senior CLASS Award All-America second team.

A star soccer player in both Kenya and Somalia, Mohammed was forced to flee persecution at home to pursue a college education in the United States. His personal story has been featured extensively in the documentary film "Men in the Arena" and in a lengthy ESPN.com article published June 24, 2019.

The 2020 Kaboom! Awards are celebrating the year in Bradley Athletics by transitioning to a virtual presentation throughout the month of May. Each year on the final night of spring semester classes, the Bradley Department of Athletics gathers at Renaissance Coliseum for the annual Kaboom! Awards, an event modeled after the popular awards shows in the entertainment industry (Oscars, Grammys, ESPYs) and recognizes all of the graduating seniors, spotlights the team and individual achievements from throughout the year. Traditionally preceded by a red-carpet reception, the awards show is filled with video and graphic tributes, which will be presented this year through the Bradley Athletics website, BradleyBraves.com, and the department's social media accounts -- culminating with the announcement of the 67th Charles Orsborn Award May 29 and viewing of the Moments of the Year May 30.

The 2020 Kaboom! Awards will continue Friday with the Bradley Baseball highlights.

2020 Kaboom! Awards Presentation Schedule

Day, Date	Feature	Format
Monday, May 4	Men's Golf highlights	Video
Tuesday, May 5	Charles Orsborn Award candidates	Article
Wednesday, May 6	Women's Cross Country and Track	Video
Thursday, May 7	Charles Orsborn Award finalist #1 - Nate Kennell	Video
Friday, May 8	Softball highlights	Video
Saturday, May 9	Female Individual Performance of the Year	Video
	Male Individual Performance of the Year	Video
Monday, May 11	Soccer highlights	Video
Tuesday, May 12	Orsborn Award finalist #2 - Jake Hoffert	Video
Wednesday, May 13	Tennis highlights	Video
Thursday, May 14	Megan C. Fong Inspiration Award	Video
Friday, May 15	Baseball highlights	Video
Saturday, May 16	Graduating Class of 2020	Video
Monday, May 18	Volleyball highlights	Video
Tuesday, May 19	Orsborn Award finalist #3	Video
Wednesday, May 20	Men's Cross Country and Track highlights	Video
Thursday, May 21	Female Coach Joe Stowell Award	Video
	Male Coach Joe Stowell Award	Video
Friday, May 22	Women's Golf highlights	Video
Saturday, May 23	Men's Team Performance of the Year	Video
	Women's Team Performance of the Year	Video
Sunday, May 24	Women's Basketball highlights	Video
Tuesday, May 26	Orsborn Award finalist #4	Video
Wednesday, May 27	Men's Basketball highlights	Video
Thursday, May 28	Bradley Athletics community service	Video
	Carl Grose Service Award	Video
Friday, May 29	Charles Orsborn Award	Video
Saturday, May 30	Moments of the Year	Video