ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- On Monday afternoon, Peyton Manning joined University of Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek and Provost Susan Martin to honor the 2014 recipients of the Peyton Manning Scholarship.
Recipients Alex Crockett from Jamestown, TN and Cody Sain from Medina, TN were honored in a presentation ceremony at the Peyton Manning Locker Room at Neyland Stadium.
"This program continues to be a great connection for me and my family to this great university," Manning said. "My four years here in Knoxville were wonderful and filled me with so many great memories. I am grateful, through this program, to be able to provide many of those same opportunities and chances that I had to others."
The Manning Scholarship is in its 17th year and is awarded to incoming first-year students that have also previously been selected into the university's Haslam Scholars program. The scholarship covers full tuition costs and is awarded based on criteria that includes academic achievement, leadership and community service.
Crockett, who will major in Food Science Technology/Pre-Professional at UT, was honored to receive the scholarship.
"I remember hearing a quote from Peyton once that life is about making decisions, first you ask questions, then you listen to the answers, then you listen to your heart," said Crockett. "I never dreamed I would be a Peyton Manning Scholar and would be compared to such a great representative of the University of Tennessee. When I received that award letter, I was so humbled to be a part of this family."
Sain ran cross country and track and will be a Pre-Medical/Microbiology major at UT.
"This scholarship is a blessing," said Sain. "With every week comes something new, it just changed my life. With this scholarship, I know people believe in me and that helps me believe in myself even more. With that, I plan to do great things."
Manning was a four-year starter at UT and finished his career there with the most wins in SEC history (39-6). He finished at the top of his 1997 class and holds Tennessee career passing records with 89 touchdowns, 11,201 yards and a 62.5% completion percentage.
