Champion, Wright, Clayton among IBCA scholarship winners

The REPORTER

Three Hamilton County student-athletes are among the 40 Indiana high school seniors that have been named winners of 2025 scholarship awards from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, it was announced Tuesday.

The IBCA — a statewide coaches group with about 2,400 members — this year is presenting a grant of $500 to each recipient in the names of Marion Crawley, Junior Mannies, Pat Aikman and Steve & Jeanie Witty.

Through the years, the IBCA has awarded about $820,000 in scholarships to Indiana student-athletes.

“I would like to congratulate you for being selected as a recipient,” IBCA executive director emeritus Steve Witty wrote in informing winners of the various selections. “… Thank you for your contributions to Indiana high school basketball, and best of luck as you move on to the college of your choice.”

Two county players, Tyler Champion of Hamilton Heights and Caleb Wright of Sheridan were among the boys’ recipients of the Crawley Scholarships for 2025. A total of 34 Crawley Scholarships were presented to 16 boys players, 12 girls players, four student managers and two team statisticians.

Criteria for the Crawley Scholarship includes achievement in basketball, achievement in academics, participation in extracurricular activities and service to one’s school and community. Crawley was a former four-time boys basketball state championship coach — two with the Washington Hatchets and two with the Lafayette Jeff Bronchos — who amassed 644 career wins. He later became the first executive director of the IBCA, serving in that role from 1970-74. He then served as the IBCA assistant executive director from 1974 until he passed away in 1982.

Abigayle Clayton of Hamilton Southeastern, part of the Royals’ sectional and regional champion girls team this year, was the girls winner of the Steve & Jeanie Witty Scholarship, named for the IBCA’s current executive director emeritus and his late wife. Steve Witty posted a 266-68 record and was a two-time boys’ basketball state champion coach at Ben Davis, then served from 2002 to 2022 as IBCA executive director. Jeanie Witty was a registered nurse who upon retirement became Steve’s administrative assistant. Jeanie passed away in April 2023 after serving the IBCA for 18 years.

The Witty Scholarship awards go to student-athletes who are the child of a current-year IBCA-member coach who plans to pursue a career in education/coaching or something in a medical field such as a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse or medical technician. This award was started in 2024, and 2025 is the second year for it.

“These are deserving young people who help make coaching a great profession,” Witty said of the 40 winners for 2025.