INDIANAPOLIS – Former Slippery Rock University football standout wide receiver Jaimire Dutrieuille was announced Wednesday as the recipient of the prestigious 2021 NCAA Award of Valor.
 
Dutrieuille, who starred on the Slippery Rock football team from 2012-15, will be presented with the Award of Valor during the annual NCAA Convention's Honors Celebration next Wednesday, Jan. 13. The virtual celebration is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on the NCAA's Twitter account and on the ESPN app (you can watch Dutrieuille's portion of the ceremony in the video above).
 
The NCAA Award of Valor is one of five major awards handed out by the NCAA as part of its annual Honors Celebration. It does not have to be presented in every year and is only awarded when nominees are deemed to meet the requirements. Dutrieuille will be the first recipient of the award since 2018 and will become just the 23rd award winner since the first Award of Valor was handed out in 1974.
 
The NCAA Award of Valor is presented to a coach or administrator currently associated with intercollegiate athletics, or to a current or former varsity letter-winner at an NCAA institution who, when confronted with a situation involving personal danger, averted or minimized potential disaster by courageous action or noteworthy bravery.
 
Dutrieuille was nominated by the SRU Athletic Communication Office after his courageous actions on the evening of May 28, 2019 saved the life of a young girl. Dutrieuille was sitting on the front porch of a friend's house when gunshots rang out. He used his body to shield a 9-year-old girl on the porch, taking three gunshot wounds, including one to the head, in the process.
 
He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors were able to save his life.
 
Dutrieuille made a full recovery, with the only exception being vision problems caused by a bullet that struck an optic nerve. Since the incident, he has turned his attention to helping youths in his hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania as part of Team Braddock, where he helps kids get involved with sports like football and basketball. He has also recommitted to finishing his degree and is on track to finish his final classes at Slippery Rock this month before earning his safety management degree.
 
At Slippery Rock, Dutruielle was an integral part of one of the top offensive units in the country between 2012-15. A two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference performer, he finished his four-year career with 3,933 all-purpose yards and 27 total touchdowns. He still ranks sixth all-time at The Rock in all-purpose yardage and his 20 receiving touchdowns rank seventh all-time.

Tune in to the ESPN app or the NCAA Twitter account's live feed Jan. 13 beginning at 7 p.m. to watch the award presentation. Read more about Dutrieuille's story in the NCAA Award of Valor announcement below:
 
 
2021 Award of Valor: Jaimire Dutrieuille
Former Slippery Rock football student-athlete saved child from shooting (NCAA story by Zack Teats)
 
On May 28, 2019, Jaimire Dutrieuille was on the front porch of a friend's house in Braddock, Pennsylvania, with his friend, an infant and a 9-year-old girl, when gunshots rang out. Dutrieuille, a former college football player at Slippery Rock, shielded the girl with his body, taking three bullets in the process. His friend was able to get the baby safely inside.
 
With a gunshot wound to the head, Dutrieuille was rushed to a hospital, where doctors saved him. Other than vision problems from a bullet that struck an optic nerve, he made a full recovery. Dutrieuille, however, doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him because the incident provided him with the chance to improve his community.
 
"It's actually a dream come true, honestly, to become a community figure, because I have always wanted to see better things happen for my community," said Dutrieuille, while reflecting on what his life has been like since the shooting happened.
 
Dutrieuille's act of bravery has earned him the NCAA Award of Valor, presented to someone who, when confronted with a situation involving personal danger, averted or minimized potential disaster by a courageous action. He will be presented the award at the 2021 NCAA Convention.
 
Dutrieuille's hometown of Braddock was "not the best area to grow up in, a very poverty-stricken and crime-ridden place," he said. He now uses his platform to work with youths in the area. He serves as a mentor in Team Braddock, a program he participated in growing up that provides kids in the community a safe haven through sports, specifically football and basketball.
 
"We focus on those sports mainly as a way to keep the kids busy, but we also help them with their homework, make sure they are staying up with their school. And we also check in with their parents, to make sure things are good at home, and that they are staying up on everything they need to," Dutrieuille said.
 
If it weren't for programs like Team Braddock, Dutrieuille may not have had the chance to attend Slippery Rock, where he had "an amazing experience" as a student-athlete. Dutrieuille described the close-knit, family-like culture that his football team had and how that culture showed itself when he was recovering in the hospital, with old teammates checking in on him every day.
 
As he recovered from the incident, his former coach, George Mihalik, worked with Dutrieuille to get back into school and finish his degree, as he was only a few classes and an internship away from completion.
 
"He always said the goal when you left Slippery Rock was for you to have your degree in one hand and some championship rings on the other hand. I got my rings, but I just needed that degree. So he helped to make sure that could happen," Dutrieuille said.
 
Dutrieuille will graduate from Slippery Rock with a degree in safety management this month. He is looking forward to continuing his work in the community with Team Braddock while also pursuing his career goals and becoming a safety manager.
 
 

 
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