PULLMAN, Wash. (May 6, 2021) – For more than 80 years, Washington State University has recognized ten of the top seniors in each graduating class. This year, football's Dallas Hobbs and track and field's Samantha King-Shaw and Charisma Taylor have been recognized as recipients of the awards. Hobbs and Taylor received their award in the Athletics category, while King-Shaw was the female recipient for the Academics category.
The women and men selected represent the highest standards in specific aspects of the college experience, including academics, athletics, campus involvement, community service, and visual and performing arts.
From the early 1900's to the 1980's, Washington State University recognized the best five men and five women seniors. These students were called "The Big Five Men" and "The Big Five Women." The Student Alumni Ambassadors and the WSU Alumni Association have continued the tradition with the Top Ten Seniors award program.
Hobbs, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been a mainstay on the Cougars' defensive line the past two seasons, starting 11 of WSU's 17 games. In that time, he collected 21 tackles, including 6.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks. A double major in digital technology and culture as well as fine arts with a 3.85 GPA, Hobbs has been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 First Team and this year received the DTC Outstanding Senior Award. Hobbs is actively involved in numerous groups off the field, including being a representative on the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) and a graphic designer for the Cougar Athletic Fund (CAF). He is also active on campus serving on the student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) and leading WSU's Black Student-Athlete Association (BSAA) as a member of the executive board.
Taylor, from Nassau, Bahamas, has been an All-American and school record holder during her time on the Cougar track and field team. She holds indoor and outdoor school records in the triple jump, as well as the indoor record in the 60m Hurdles. At the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championship, she garnered First-Team All-America honors in the triple jump, setting the Bahamian national record in the process. Taylor also captured the 2020 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation triple jump title and was an MPSF All-Academic selection and garnered 2020 NCAA Indoor All-America honors for the triple jump. A hospitality business management major, Taylor is a board member and team representative on the Student‐Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and also holds a leadership role in WSU's Black Student‐Athlete Association (BSAA).
King-Shaw, from Sparks, Nev., has been a member of the WSU cross country and track and field teams since entering WSU in 2017. King-Shaw, who boasts a 3.91 GPA while majoring in women's studies, has been a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection, a member of the WSU President's Honor Roll, and a multiple-time member of the WSU Athletics All-Academic team. Additionally, she has served as cross country's representative on WSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a social justice peer educator for the Office of Outreach & Education and secretary-treasurer for the Queer Intersections Association. Shaw-King plans to attend graduate school in the fall while pursuing a PhD in global gender studies.
The women and men selected represent the highest standards in specific aspects of the college experience, including academics, athletics, campus involvement, community service, and visual and performing arts.
From the early 1900's to the 1980's, Washington State University recognized the best five men and five women seniors. These students were called "The Big Five Men" and "The Big Five Women." The Student Alumni Ambassadors and the WSU Alumni Association have continued the tradition with the Top Ten Seniors award program.
Hobbs, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been a mainstay on the Cougars' defensive line the past two seasons, starting 11 of WSU's 17 games. In that time, he collected 21 tackles, including 6.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks. A double major in digital technology and culture as well as fine arts with a 3.85 GPA, Hobbs has been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 First Team and this year received the DTC Outstanding Senior Award. Hobbs is actively involved in numerous groups off the field, including being a representative on the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) and a graphic designer for the Cougar Athletic Fund (CAF). He is also active on campus serving on the student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) and leading WSU's Black Student-Athlete Association (BSAA) as a member of the executive board.
Taylor, from Nassau, Bahamas, has been an All-American and school record holder during her time on the Cougar track and field team. She holds indoor and outdoor school records in the triple jump, as well as the indoor record in the 60m Hurdles. At the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championship, she garnered First-Team All-America honors in the triple jump, setting the Bahamian national record in the process. Taylor also captured the 2020 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation triple jump title and was an MPSF All-Academic selection and garnered 2020 NCAA Indoor All-America honors for the triple jump. A hospitality business management major, Taylor is a board member and team representative on the Student‐Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and also holds a leadership role in WSU's Black Student‐Athlete Association (BSAA).
King-Shaw, from Sparks, Nev., has been a member of the WSU cross country and track and field teams since entering WSU in 2017. King-Shaw, who boasts a 3.91 GPA while majoring in women's studies, has been a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection, a member of the WSU President's Honor Roll, and a multiple-time member of the WSU Athletics All-Academic team. Additionally, she has served as cross country's representative on WSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a social justice peer educator for the Office of Outreach & Education and secretary-treasurer for the Queer Intersections Association. Shaw-King plans to attend graduate school in the fall while pursuing a PhD in global gender studies.