Hartt and Citron Named GSAC Cliff Hamlow Champions of Character Recipients
San Dimas, CA - The GSAC is proud to honor 20student-athletes from across the conference with the 2026 Cliff Hamlow Champion of Character Award. The award is given to one male and one female student-athlete on each GSAC campus who demonstrates outstanding athletic achievement, campus and community leadership, future ambition and embraces the five core character values of the NAIA Champions of Character program (Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship and Servant Leadership).
Student-athletes must be at least a junior academically and carry a 3.0 GPA. The award is named after former Commissioner Dr. Cliff Hamlow, who served the conference from its inception in 1986 to 2012. Dr. Hamlow was also a key leader in creating the NAIA's Champions of Character program and was recently inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame for a second time.
Abbigail Hartt and Joshua Citron were both named as Life Pacific's recipients of the 2026 Cliff Hamlow Champion of Character Award.
Abbigail Hartt
Abbigail Hartt is a member of the Women's Basketball team at Life Pacific University who exemplifies what it means to be a Cliff Hamlow Champions of Character recipient. Throughout her time at LPU, Abbigail has consistently demonstrated academic excellence, earning President's List honors each semester and being named a GSAC Scholar-Athlete. Her commitment to excellence in the classroom reflects her discipline, integrity, and pursuit of growth both personally and professionally. Beyond academics, Abbigail has made a meaningful impact locally and globally. She has served on a missions team to Romania and will be returning again this year, continuing her heart for international ministry. Locally, she serves faithfully in her church through worship and active involvement in ministry. On campus, Abbigail plays a significant leadership role as the Multicultural Student Organizations Event Coordinator, where she plans and leads events that celebrate and honor diverse cultures within the LPU community. She also serves on the campus chapel worship team, contributing to the spiritual life of the university. Athletically, Abbigail is a team captain for the Women's Basketball program and a GSAC Scholar-Athlete, modeling servant leadership, sportsmanship, and responsibility both on and off the court. Following graduation, she aspires to develop spiritual formation programs for athletes, coaches, and captains, pastor within the local church, and launch a ministry in Romania focused on building courts and teaching sports to children.
Joshua Citron
Josh Citron is a member of the Men's Soccer program at Life Pacific University who exemplifies excellence in academics, leadership, and athletic achievement. Josh graduated in December 2025 with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, maintaining an outstanding 3.9 cumulative GPA across nine semesters between two institutions. During his time at his previous university, USK, he earned President's List honors twice with a 4.0 GPA and was named to the Dean's List four times. At Life Pacific, he continued his academic success by earning Dean's List recognition for three semesters, demonstrating consistent dedication and integrity in the classroom. Josh has also made a significant impact beyond academics. He served on four missionary teams to Ensenada, Mexico, investing in communities through service and outreach. Locally, he has hosted beach soccer clinics for aspiring youth players, using his gifts to mentor and develop the next generation. On campus, Josh served as captain of the LPU Men's Soccer team during the 2025 season, modeling servant leadership and sportsmanship. He also supported the Athletics Department at both USK and LPU by operating cameras for basketball and volleyball games, contributing behind the scenes to enhance the student-athlete experience. Athletically, Josh is a 2022 Daktronics NAIA Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete and a 2025–26 GSAC Fall Scholar-Athlete recipient. Currently working in marketing and sales for his family's business, LiftSmart LLC, he aspires to one day become the owner. He also plans to continue competing in FIFA-sanctioned international beach soccer competitions with SoCal BSC, with the ultimate goal of representing the United States Beach Soccer National Team.