Gordon, Robinson Named Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award Campus Winners
November 19, 2025 | Football, Track & Field
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Karson Gordon of the UCLA football and track & field programs and Jordan Robinson of UCLA track & field were named campus winners for the 2025-26 Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover, it was announced Wednesday by the conference.
A total of 36 winners were chosen from the 18 member institutions. Two overall conference winners will be selected and announced in the spring of 2026. In recognition of their achievement and as an expression of the conference's appreciation, each of the 36 campus winners will receive a medal bearing the likeness of Jackie Robinson and the logo of the Big Ten Conference.
Gordon, a two-sport redshirt freshman at UCLA, has not needed much time to make his mark on campus. He is the Co-founder of "Score First," an initiative created to empower college athlete to build financial wealth with NIL earnings through real estate investments and financial literacy. He is also a member of UCLA's Black Student-Athlete Alliance, and has collaborated with both the Make-A-Wish Foundation and American Red Cross to raise money and provide support for the local community. A triple jumper on the track squad and reserve quarterback on the football team, Gordon's athletic career at UCLA has been limited to just two indoor track meets to this point, but in his UCLA debut he hit a mark of 15.82m (51 feet, 11 inches) in the triple jump to land at No. 5 on the Bruins' all-time indoor top-10 list. The 2023 Gatorade Texas Boys Track & Field Player of the Year, Gordon was named to the UCLA Athletic Director Honor Roll for both Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.
A three-year letterwinner entering her senior season, Robinson's career has been highlighted by a win in the high jump at the 2024 UCLA Legends Invitational, and an appearance in the HJ at the 2025 Big Ten Outdoor Championships, where she finished 18th. Off the track she has been advocate on campus and in the community, serving as President of the Black Student-Athlete Alliance (BSAA) at UCLA, while also being involved in the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and Afro-Latinx Connection de UCLA (ALCdeUCLA). Robinson has been selected multiple times to attend the Black Student-Athlete Summit, and was also picked to represent UCLA at the first-ever Big Ten Leadership Retreat. A strong student, Robinson has been a mainstay on league and UCLA honor rolls during her collegiate career.
Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school's first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, however, he is recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and we honor his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
"It is our privilege and great honor to bestow this award in Jackie's name upon these deserving Big Ten student-athletes and to express our appreciation for the support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation," said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti.
Honorees were selected based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated Impact: Significant and tangible contributions to community projects or causes, including measurable outcomes or positive changes resulting from their involvement.
- Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others, including peers, organizations, and community members, to achieve common goals and enhance community impact.
- Consistency and Commitment: Ongoing and consistent participation in community service activities over an extended period of time.
- Visibility and Advocacy: Efforts to raise awareness and advocate for important groups or causes, leveraging their platform to promote positive change and engage others.
UCLA's Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award Campus Winners
2025-26: Karson Gordon (football, track & field), Jordan Robinson (track & field)
2024-25: Janiah Barker (women's basketball), Chase Griffin (football)
