Senior Mike Wells Takes Home "DU Manly Award"

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The month of November has concluded, bringing an end to "DU Work Against Breast Cancer," a 40-day fundraiser sponsored by the Dominican University of California Penguin Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (PSAAC). Proceeds helped support the American Cancer Society.

Dominican's male student-athletes grew beards as a part of No-Shave November and were asked to provide a weekly photo to showcase their beard growth.

After a month of beard growing, Dominican's male student-athletes have literally been itching to find out who would earn the prize of "DU Manly Award." The results are in and senior Mike Wells has taken home the unique distinction.

A captain on the men's basketball team and the PSAAC president, Wells has shown himself to be a man of many faces. Wells was named the California Pacific Conference Freshman of the Year in 2007–2008 and a year ago, as a junior, was named the first-ever "Mr. Penguin" after he strutted his stuff on stage at Angelico Hall both in a swimsuit and in a tuxedo as part of the "Mr. Penguin" event, a type of male beauty pageant that raised funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

"It took dedication and persistence to avoid shaving, despite an itchy, scraggly beard that kept any women from talking to me and made strangers question my hygiene," said a clearly relieved Wells. "It is with great Penguin pride that I accept this vote of manliness."

But for Wells and the other student-athletes earning the "DU Manly Award" isn't the true reward: "I'm happy that myself and the other student-athletes were able to have fun while amusing the generous people who helped support us in the fight against breast cancer."