George Washington University

May 31, 2007

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- George Washington's Raman Luthra (East Amherst, NY/Nichols School) has been named one of three recipients of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Conference Sporting Award, the league office announced Thursday. Luthra shares this year's award with Jane Daniels of Charlotte's track team and Fordham women's soccer player, Leah Jerome. Recipients of the Atlantic 10 Sporting Award are selected by a vote of the Conference's senior women administrators. Luthra becomes the first GW student-athlete to win the award which was established in 2004.

The sporting award is presented annually to a male and female student-athlete who exemplifies good sportsmanship. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a member of an intercollegiate athletics team in a sport sponsored by the Atlantic 10 Conference; be in good academic standing; be active within the campus community; embody the highest standards of leadership integrity, and sporting conduct; be enthusiastic about the sport in which they compete; and have noteworthy act(s) of sporting conduct.

Luthra, a senior from East Amherst, NY, posted a career 76.7 stroke average as a member of George Washington's men's golf team. The team's captain also was an integral part of GW's first NCAA team in 60 years last season as a junior.

This season, during the team's spring break trip to New Orleans, the squad volunteered at Habitat for Humanity rebuilding homes in the flood-ravaged section in New Orleans' Ninth Ward. During the volunteer effort, Luthra suffered a cut to his hand. His teammates were quickly alarmed because he lost a significant amount of blood. He responded by saying, "My hand's gonna be fine. It just needs to be checked out at the hospital. Go back to work and don't worry about me." Once he got in the van for the ride over, it was clear that he was just putting on a brave front so his teammates wouldn't be concerned. He needed 15 stitches to close the wound.

After his injury he missed the next four tournaments. He returned to play in the Colonials' last two events but his game just wasn't the same. After struggling at GW's final regular-season event at Akron, Luthra approached coach Scott Allen and said, "Coach, I have been to A-10s three times and I've been to the NCAAs. I know I am not playing my best right now and I know you have a tough decision to make. I've been giving it some thought and I really think that there are younger guys who would benefit more from the experience of going to the A-10 Championship. It will help you build for the future and get the program back into the NCAAs next year."

After missing most of his final spring season due to injury, Luthra looked at the big picture of the future of the GW program and not just at his own personal wants.