HUNTSVILLE | The UAH men's and women's basketball teams have been named a 2025 NCAA Division II Award of Excellence finalist for their volunteer work with Sleep in Heavenly Peace earlier this year.
 
The Chargers men's and women's hoops squads spent a day off during the season to build 33 total beds, partnering with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to provide beds for local children in need.
 
This was the second year in a row the UAH basketball teams volunteered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
 
Twenty-two schools and four conferences have been named finalists for the 2025 Division II Award of Excellence, an accolade recognizing initiatives in the past year that exemplify the Division II philosophy, community engagement and student-athlete leadership. Four finalists were picked as at-large honorees for submitting a strong nomination that was not chosen as the finalist for their conference.
 
Division II honors its members each year for conducting events that promote student-athletes giving back and serving as leaders within their communities or on their campuses. A committee of athletics administrators determined this year's finalists, and the national Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee selected the top three finalists, who will be announced at the Division II business session on Jan. 17 at the 2025 NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
 
Each finalist will receive $750. In addition, the winner will receive $3,000, the first runner-up will receive $1,750 and the second runner-up will receive $1,500. All prize money is intended to be used for future SAAC initiatives or community engagement events.
 
About Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Sleep in Heavenly Peace had its start like many other charities, in a garage. It was Christmas time, a time of joy and happiness, a time of giving and love, but also a time of bitter, cold weather and snowstorms. A project, that was started with the build of one bed for a single family developed into something a whole lot more. From the wood left over from the first bunk, another idea was created. "Who else could benefit from this bunk"?
 
At Sleep in Heavenly Peace, one thing becomes crystal clear: when communities come together, we can achieve the seemingly impossible. The mission to ensure no kid sleeps on the floor in local communities has reached new heights in 2024, surpassing over 250,000 beds built since 2012.