From NYU Athletics
Initiated by the women's basketball team, New York University student-athletes have developed a fun strategy to try and get everyone registered to vote.
"I talked to one of our players, Janean Cuffee, about using our platform to take on social causes, and voting is an important one to them," said Head Coach Meg Barber. "We used this opportunity to guide them, but they took the ball and ran with it."
Cuffee, a senior captain of the women's basketball team, earned a myriad of awards last season after averaging 20.4 points per game, the second-highest mark in program history. Her exploits helped lead the Violets to a 21-6 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
But, winning off the court is just as important to her.
"Our team started Zoom meetings once a week after Covid started," Cuffee explained. "We talked about social causes, had a lot of open dialogue and did a lot of brainstorming."
Cuffee and her teammates agreed to 100% voter registration. But, that wasn't enough. They wanted to involve ALL of NYU's student-athletes.
"Our team got registered within 48 hours and prepared to pass the torch, but we realized we were going to have to double up NYU's men's and women's teams if we were going to make registration deadlines," Cuffee said. "So we reached out to men's basketball and gave them 24 hours to get registered so we could pass the torch together to the next teams. And the men got it done!
"So, we then passed the torch to the next two teams, men's and women's soccer, and gave them 48 hours to get everyone registered....and they did," Cuffee continued. "They then passed the torch to the baseball and softball teams, and now they have 48 hours to register. When there's a deadline, athletes get things done."
After the 48-hour period is up, each team must then "pass the torch" to the next two teams that they designate. Cuffee has planned it out so that all of NYU's varsity teams will be registered by the first week of October.
"We are using the links provided by Voice in Sport, but they are partnered with Rock The Vote, so all of the links we are using are through Rock The Vote," Cuffee revealed.
While she's confident that 100% registration will be accomplished, Cuffee stresses that it isn't the end goal.
"Everyone not only needs to register, but must pledge to vote," she explained. "That is the only way this will be a success."
Below is the statement and information that Cuffee provided to NYU student-athletes in order to get the ball rolling:
"We are working to get everyone in the athletics department registered to vote, so basketball nominated soccer...we have 48 hours to register and pledge before passing the torch. If you are already registered, please pledge...Thank you all and let's make our voices count!"
Registration link: https://register.rockthevote.com/registrants/new?partner=38746
Registration deadline per state: https://www.rockthevote.org/how-to-vote/#nationwidevoting
Absentee & Mail-In Ballot Request/deadline per state: https://www.rockthevote.org/how-to-vote/nationwide-voting-info/absentee-voting/