Kepnang, Newton Bestowed With Big Ten’s Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award
April 06, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Track & Field, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Washington men's basketball's Franck Kepnang and Husky track & field's Rhonda Newton have been named UW's recipients of the Big Ten's Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award.
Kepnang, a graduate student from Yaounde, Cameroon, who recently completed his fourth season in Purple and Gold, manages the Franck & Family Foundation, supporting orphanages in Cameroon and providing care packages to people experiencing homelessness.
The 6-11 center is also active in the Seattle and campus communities, serving on the leadership board for the University of Washington's Black Student-Athlete Alliance. Kepnang is also Washington's representative on the Big Ten Student-Athlete Issues Commission and was named to the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team.
On the court, Kepnang started 25 games for the Dawgs this past season before having his season cut short due to injury. One of the nation's elite rim protector's, Kepnang ranked second in the Big Ten in blocks per game, rejecting 2.07 shots per game, adding 6.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest.
Newton is a first-generation college student from Tacoma, Washington, currently in her fourth season on the Husky track and field squad as a sprinter.
Newton is a community advocate for social justice who currently works for the Seattle Clemency and Parole Project, assisting individuals who were incarcerated for life without parole as juveniles, and working to obtain new court hearings and second chances.
She has also worked with the La Resistencia advocacy group, hosting a day of solidarity at the Northwest Detention Center in her hometown of Tacoma. In the summer of 2024, Newton participated in the UW Courts For Kids service-learning trip to rural Guatemala, helping build an athletics court to foster community togetherness. She has also attended the Athlete Ally Activism Summit.
Newton is an Arthur Ashe Scholar Award winner as well as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. She is also on the Executive Board of the UW Black Student-Athlete Alliance. She plans to continue her passion for social justice advocacy into law school and criminal justice law.
About the Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award
The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover was established in 2025 to recognize student-athletes at Big Ten institutions who strive to have a positive impact not only in their chosen sport, but also within their community. Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school's first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, however, he is recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and we honor his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
Each Big Ten member-institution nominates two student-athletes, one male and one female, from their respective schools. The Big Ten Conference selects two national winners from the 36 nominations each year. Student-athletes are nominated based on the following criteria:
For news, scores, highlights and more, download the Go Huskies app on your mobile device and subscribe to UW Athletics on YouTube for the latest on the Dawgs.
Kepnang, a graduate student from Yaounde, Cameroon, who recently completed his fourth season in Purple and Gold, manages the Franck & Family Foundation, supporting orphanages in Cameroon and providing care packages to people experiencing homelessness.
The 6-11 center is also active in the Seattle and campus communities, serving on the leadership board for the University of Washington's Black Student-Athlete Alliance. Kepnang is also Washington's representative on the Big Ten Student-Athlete Issues Commission and was named to the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team.
On the court, Kepnang started 25 games for the Dawgs this past season before having his season cut short due to injury. One of the nation's elite rim protector's, Kepnang ranked second in the Big Ten in blocks per game, rejecting 2.07 shots per game, adding 6.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest.
Newton is a first-generation college student from Tacoma, Washington, currently in her fourth season on the Husky track and field squad as a sprinter.
Newton is a community advocate for social justice who currently works for the Seattle Clemency and Parole Project, assisting individuals who were incarcerated for life without parole as juveniles, and working to obtain new court hearings and second chances.
She has also worked with the La Resistencia advocacy group, hosting a day of solidarity at the Northwest Detention Center in her hometown of Tacoma. In the summer of 2024, Newton participated in the UW Courts For Kids service-learning trip to rural Guatemala, helping build an athletics court to foster community togetherness. She has also attended the Athlete Ally Activism Summit.
Newton is an Arthur Ashe Scholar Award winner as well as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. She is also on the Executive Board of the UW Black Student-Athlete Alliance. She plans to continue her passion for social justice advocacy into law school and criminal justice law.
About the Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award
The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover was established in 2025 to recognize student-athletes at Big Ten institutions who strive to have a positive impact not only in their chosen sport, but also within their community. Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school's first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, however, he is recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and we honor his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
Each Big Ten member-institution nominates two student-athletes, one male and one female, from their respective schools. The Big Ten Conference selects two national winners from the 36 nominations each year. Student-athletes are nominated based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated Impact: Significant and tangible contributions to community projects or causes, including measurable outcomes or positive changes resulting from their involvement.
- Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others, including peers, organizations, and community members, to achieve common goals and enhance community impact.
- Consistency and Commitment: Ongoing and consistent participation in community service activities over an extended period of time.
- Visibility and Advocacy: Efforts to raise awareness and advocate for important groups or causes, leveraging their platform to promote positive change and engage others.
For news, scores, highlights and more, download the Go Huskies app on your mobile device and subscribe to UW Athletics on YouTube for the latest on the Dawgs.
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