ALISO VIEJO, CA- Soka University of America held a virtual memorial service on October 21 to honor and pay tribute to Class of 2022 swimmer Thomas Wyatt Balman, who tragically passed away on October 13 in Wamego, Kansas. After moving tributes from classmates, including a touching video created by his Soka swimming family, Soka's Athletic Director Michael Moore announced the establishment of the Thomas Wyatt Balman Award.

"Wyatt will be the first recipient," Moore said. "Moving forward, receiving this award will be the highest honor a student-athlete can achieve. The presentation of this award will serve as an inspiration to all current and future Soka student-athletes, and to recognize their exceptional behavior."

Soka Athletics will honor one student-athlete annually who excels athletically and exhibits outstanding behavior and enthusiasm just as Wyatt did. Honorees will be considered the ultimate teammate, radiating positivity, team spirit, and passion. They will welcome every day with optimism and a desire to become the best version of themselves. Soka Athletics will honor the individual who best embodies the characteristics Wyatt possessed.

"While we mourn the loss of Wyatt from our team and university," said head swim coach Adam Crossen, "establishing this award will allow current and future Soka athletes to recognize individuals based on their actions, attitude, and the remarkable characteristics Wyatt exhibited each and every day on campus and at the pool. It's these traits that we look forward to recognizing as we honor Wyatt and his contributions to Soka and our Athletics Department."

Honorees will receive a plaque along with the honor of having their name on a perpetual plate, which will be hung next to Wyatt's photo in a prominent display near the pool entrance in the Athletics Center. Soka Athletics will announce the award recipient at the annual Soka Athletics banquet held at the end of the school year before Soka's commencement ceremonies.

Thomas Wyatt Balman was an integral member of the Soka family. He was a stellar swimmer who represented Soka University on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national stage and earned College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America honors. He illuminated the recreation center with his smile, compassion, and cooperation as a Soka Athletics and Recreation student worker. Additionally, Wyatt could be seen and heard confidently and courageously singing the national anthem at the Pacific Collegiate Swim & Dive Conference Championships and Soka's home sporting events and the annual Heart of the Lion Fun-Run, among other campus-wide events. Wyatt brought joy wherever he went and can be quoted as striving to "do the best he could with the time he had."