Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cobbins a Senior CLASS Award Nominee
February 03, 2015 | Cowboy Basketball
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State forward Michael Cobbins is one of 30 men's basketball candidates for the Senior CLASS Award, it was announced.
From the list of 30 candidates, a national media committee will select ten finalists for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award in Men's and Women's Basketball. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award.
"I could go on and on about Michael Cobbins," Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said. "He is one of the most impressive people I have had the pleasure to coach. He stands for the right things and he has the ultimate respect from his teammates. I've never seen him in a bad mood - he's just a very high-character person with a contagious personality. People around him gravitate toward him. He carries himself so well - how he dresses every day, how he gets up in the morning and plans out his day, those kinds of things are important to him. He's a guy who every single day, you can count on him as far as work ethic, accountability, leadership and the list goes on."
A look at what makes Cobbins a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award:
Classroom
In May 2014, Cobbins graduated with a bachelor's degree in university studies with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. He is extending his college education during his fifth year of eligibility.
Character
Cobbins has overcome several injuries, including a ruptured Achilles tendon, which ended his junior season prematurely, but he has never wavered in his commitment to graduating and playing basketball at the highest level. Cobbins has always been a true leader on the team and was named a captain during his sophomore season, continuing that trend through this year. He shows his school spirit by attending many events by other student-athletes at OSU. He is a kind and generous person who respects others and enjoys helping people, even strangers.
Community
Cobbins has always been highly involved in the Stillwater community. He has been active in the Coaches vs Cancer campaign, visiting with kids at the children's hospitals in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City during all five of his years at OSU. Prior to his junior season, he filmed a commercial with the on-campus student organization promoting recycling on campus. That commercial ran on video monitors all over campus and promoted the use of recycling bins.
Competition
Cobbins has been a key component in OSU's appearance in the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons. He has been a starter throughout his career and has been a defensive nightmare for opposing offenses. Entering this week's games against Texas and Kansas, he ranks seventh in school history for career blocks with 152, a total which ranks as the second-highest among all players active in the Big 12 this season. He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore and was a preseason All-Big 12 pick before his junior year was cut short due to injury.
