Northwestern University Athletics
Kansas Robinson, Najee Story Spotlighted on Jackie Robinson Day as Northwestern Community Impact Award Winners
4/15/2026 7:20:00 AM | Football, Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – In recognition of Jackie Robinson Day, Northwestern is spotlighting student-athletes Kansas Robinson and Najee Story, the University's 2026 Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award honorees.
Each Big Ten institution selects one male and one female honoree, with conference selections based on demonstrated impact, collaboration, consistency of service, and advocacy. Robinson and Story represent Northwestern among this year's conference nominees and will be under consideration for selection as the Big Ten's two national award recipients.
Robinson, a senior on Northwestern's softball team, has helped lead the program to two Big Ten Championships and three postseason appearances throughout her career. A 2024 First Team All-Big Ten selection and Softball America All-American, Robinson has continued her senior season hitting .274 (32-for-117) with eight home runs, seven doubles, 31 RBI, and a .538 slugging percentage.
Off the field, Robinson has served on Northwestern's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board for two years, helping lead department-wide initiatives, including the annual SAAC Canned Food Drive, which has generated thousands of dollars in donations for local families. Through her work with the Student-Athlete Issues Committee and as an Engaged Athlete Fellow with The Team, she has organized clothing drives supporting Connections for the Homeless and Cradles to Crayons, collecting more than 100 bags of donations. This fall, she was appointed to the Big Ten Student-Athlete Issues Commission for the 2025-26 academic year.
Story, who completed his fifth season on Northwestern's football team in 2025, appeared in every game over the past four seasons, helping lead the Wildcats to victories in the 2023 Las Vegas Bowl and the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl. Story appeared in all 13 games in 2025, totaling 20 tackles, 11 solo tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, two pass breakups, and one interception. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Story is actively involved with Lurie Children's Hospital, participating in regular visits with patients and families, including hosting games on the hospital's in-room broadcast channel and organizing bingo events. As a co-leader of Northwestern's Uplifting Athletes chapter, he has helped organize fundraising efforts for rare disease research through events such as Lift for Life and the Touchdown Pledge Drive, while also attending national conferences. He has also completed an internship with IntuWork, a consulting group that supports nonprofit organizations, volunteered in schools in his hometown of Cleveland, and participated in community service locally, including work at The Talking Farm.
The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover was established in 2025 to recognize student-athletes at Big Ten institutions who strive to have a positive impact not only in their chosen sport, but also within their community. Each Big Ten institution nominates one male and one female student-athlete for the honor, with conference selections based on demonstrated impact, collaboration, consistency of service, and advocacy.
