Oladipo wins Tustenugee Award

Victor Oladipo was named the 2013 winner of the Eddie Sutton Tustenugee Award Wednesday, an award which recognizes an athlete who exemplifies the tenacity and unselfishness that characterized Sutton's career.

National media members selected Oladipo for the award.

Tulsa Sports Charities presents the award, and invited Oladipo to accept the award in Tulsa, Okla., on August 14 at the Tulsa Sports Charities Legends in Sports Dinner.

Tommy Thompson, director of Tulsa Sports Charities, announced Oladipo as the winner.

"Victor Oladipo certainly performed like a warrior last season," Thompson said in an IU release. "He played defense with a relentless and persistent passion, the true
embodiment of an Eddie Sutton warrior."

Oladipo is the third winner of the award, following Butler's Matt Howard (2011) and Baylor's Quincy Acy (2012). Oladipo set new a new IU record with 78 steals and was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year.

"It's an incredible thing to watch someone who is as good a person, has the charisma, the personality, the integrity, the character to just come alive with this second-to-none work ethic that he has brought," IU Coach Tom Crean said in the release. "It has
helped transform our team.

"It has made everybody else in this program better ... When he was on the court, he impacted the game for everyone and made every one of his teammates better," Crean said.