Angelique Francis Receives Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award

DALLAS – As Angelique Francis wrapped up her remarks after being presented the 2023 Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), the room full of writers, coaches and notable people from the sport of women's basketball jumped to their feet in a standing ovation for the Little Rock forward.
 
Francis couldn't believe her eyes.
 
Applauding her was Geno Auriemma, the UConn head coach. So was Michelle Marciniak, the former All-American and WNBA player. And Chantel Jennings, the women's basketball reporter for The Athletic, along with several tables full of national media personalities.
 
They were all in awe of what Francis has been able to do, delivering her story to others in an effort that it might reach anyone who needs to hear it. She did so flawlessly, telling the crowded room of her journey to overcome a childhood dominated by abuse and surviving eight suicide attempts to creating an organization dedicated to helping others.
 
Friday's event, held at the Omni Hotel in Dallas prior to the Women's Final Four, recognized a handful of winners bestowed their awards by the USBWA. After Francis left the dais, she was eager to get around the room and meet the notable people that were attending. She wouldn't have to go far.
 
In a surprise to her, it was those people that were quickly coming up to Francis to introduce themselves. They were quick to describe how wonderful her story and her speech was, an almost five-minute oration seamlessly presented without notes to the admiration of reporters that are usually stoic scribes as they cover national events, one after the other.
 
The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach introduced Francis, a day after her feature story on the Trojan senior was on the front page of her organization's website and app. Auerbach warned the audience they would be moved by what Francis had to say and she was proved prophetic in that statement.
 
Immediately tears of pride streamed down the face of Vickey Finch-Myles, Francis' mother, as she watched her daughter deliver her thank you speech with perfect aplomb. Finch-Myles jumped to her feet along with everyone else, beaming at her daughter's speech.
 
The presentation marked the first time a Little Rock or Ohio Valley Conference student-athlete received a national award from the USBWA.
 
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