As part of the Buick Human Highlight Reel campaign, college sports bloggers around the SB Nation network were asked to nominate one former athlete from their respective schools who not only had tremendous success on the field, but also made a difference in their community. These athletes all had defining moments in their NCAA careers that made them realize that they could help others in a meaningful way. From those nominees, four were chosen as winners, the first one being professional soccer player Zak Boggs.
Buick Human Highlight Reel: Zak Boggs
While playing soccer for the USF Bulls, Zak Boggs spent his free time in the lab doing cancer research. Now with the New England Revolution of the MLS, Boggs still visits patients and does research as often as he can.
Boggs helped lead the South Florida Bulls to a Big East Title in his two seasons on the men’s soccer team. He tallied nine goals and six assists in his college career and earned 3rd team all conference honors in 2009, before being selected in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft by the New England Revolution after graduation.
It is an impressive athletic resume for sure, but even more impressive has been his selfless dedication to cancer research in his free time. As a biomedical sciences major at USF, Boggs volunteered around the area, visiting the Shriners Children’s Hospital and Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa whenever he could. Despite having a job playing the sport he loves, Boggs still volunteers at the Karp Research Building of Children’s Hospital Boston every moment he can. If he isn’t trying to isolate proteins in a lab, he is visiting with patients of all ages, providing comfort and support.
For his work, Boggs was presented with the 2011 Humanitarian of the Year Award by the MLS. The league also donated $5,000 to the Children’s Hospital Boston in recognition of his efforts. For Boggs, his biggest satisfaction still comes from knowing he made a positive impact on patients’ lives.
To see more great stories and videos from the Buick Human Highlight Reel, go to www.NCAA.com/Buick
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