November 13, 2026 | Women's Rowing, Track & Field, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
SEATTLE – Niamh Comerford of women's rowing and Bodi Ligons of men's track & field were announced this week as Washington's two campus winners of the 2026-27 Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover. Now in its third year, the honor was created to recognize Big Ten student-athletes who strive to have a positive impact within their community in addition to excellence in competition.Â
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From the collection of 36 local winners, two overall conference honorees will be selected and announced in the spring of 2027.
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Honorees were selected based on the following criteria:Â
Comerford is a native of London, U.K. who is in her fourth year, pursuing her B.S. in Neuroscience. She rowed on UW's 2025 Big Ten Championship squad. In 2026, Comerford was named to the Husky 100, a select group of the top achieving students across the entire University of Washington student body.
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Her research on spinal cord injury and volunteer work in burn units and pediatric trauma units at Harborview Medical Center go hand in hand with her athletic goals as she seeks to become a physician in women's sports medicine. Comerford has also drawn inspiration from volunteering at Camp Goodtimes, a camp for children with cancer, cancer survivors, and their siblings, as well as serving as a Team IMPACT fellow, where children facing serious illnesses are welcomed as members of college sports teams.
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Ligons is a third-year sprinter and hurdler from Los Angeles and Cathedral High School. He has earned All-America honors on the Husky distance medley relay and was part of the team's world record run in 2025, when he was also named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Pursuing a degree in Applied Mathematics, Ligons has both sought out and fostered community since coming to Seattle.
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Ligons is the co-President of the Black Student-Athlete Alliance at UW, has participated in numerous volunteer service projects providing resource to children and community members in need, and helped organize a Know Your Rights panel at UW dealing with interactions with law enforcement. Ligons has also assisted his mother, Tanita, in the creation of a library in Akosombo, Ghana.
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More detailed profiles on Comerford and Ligons will be featured on GoHuskies.com and UW Athletics social media channels throughout the academic year.
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From the collection of 36 local winners, two overall conference honorees will be selected and announced in the spring of 2027.
Â
Honorees were selected based on the following criteria:Â
- Demonstrated Impact: Significant and tangible contributions to community projects or causes, including measurable outcomes or positive changes resulting from their involvement.Â
- Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others, including peers, organizations, and community members, to achieve common goals and enhance community impact.Â
- Consistency and Commitment: Ongoing and consistent participation in community service activities over an extended period of time.Â
- Visibility and Advocacy: Efforts to raise awareness and advocate for important groups or causes, leveraging their platform to promote positive change and engage others.Â
Comerford is a native of London, U.K. who is in her fourth year, pursuing her B.S. in Neuroscience. She rowed on UW's 2025 Big Ten Championship squad. In 2026, Comerford was named to the Husky 100, a select group of the top achieving students across the entire University of Washington student body.
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Her research on spinal cord injury and volunteer work in burn units and pediatric trauma units at Harborview Medical Center go hand in hand with her athletic goals as she seeks to become a physician in women's sports medicine. Comerford has also drawn inspiration from volunteering at Camp Goodtimes, a camp for children with cancer, cancer survivors, and their siblings, as well as serving as a Team IMPACT fellow, where children facing serious illnesses are welcomed as members of college sports teams.
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Ligons is a third-year sprinter and hurdler from Los Angeles and Cathedral High School. He has earned All-America honors on the Husky distance medley relay and was part of the team's world record run in 2025, when he was also named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Pursuing a degree in Applied Mathematics, Ligons has both sought out and fostered community since coming to Seattle.
Â
Ligons is the co-President of the Black Student-Athlete Alliance at UW, has participated in numerous volunteer service projects providing resource to children and community members in need, and helped organize a Know Your Rights panel at UW dealing with interactions with law enforcement. Ligons has also assisted his mother, Tanita, in the creation of a library in Akosombo, Ghana.
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More detailed profiles on Comerford and Ligons will be featured on GoHuskies.com and UW Athletics social media channels throughout the academic year.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rowing
Spr
/ Track & FieldWednesday, May 27
Wednesday, May 20
Thursday, October 16
Tuesday, June 03
