Marian University’s 13th Annual Clayton Family Circle of Honor Award has selected Anthony “A.C.” Calhoun to its top award while also recognizing long-time Marian University Cycling Coach Dean Peterson with its Wall of Fame award.
If you’ve ever watched Central Indiana sports television, then you’ve probably seen Anthony Calhoun. He is an Emmy Award-winning sportscaster and Evansville, Indiana native who leads the WISH-TV 8 sports team in Central Indiana as sports director and main sports anchor. He’s highlighted and reported on several Marian University student-athletes.
“This is such an honor to be recognized by Marian University in this way,” Calhoun said. “I am really humbled since I have a heart for students and highlighting their academic and sporting success.”
As one of the most versatile sportscasters in Indianapolis, Calhoun has also served as a play-by-play announcer for NCAA basketball on ESPN, as well as the voice of Butler University basketball on WNDY-TV. Prior to joining WISH-TV in 1998, Calhoun began his professional career as a weekend sports anchor/reporter at WTVH-TV in Syracuse, New York. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism and was named a Remembrance Scholar, the highest award given by the university.
When he's not on-air, Calhoun spends his free time helping others by fundraising to help children in need. The AC Charity Golf Classic has raised more than $2 million to promote excellence in inner-youth education. Each year, Calhoun brings together local athletes, celebrities, and business and community leaders in what has now become one of the most successful and popular golf fundraisers in Indiana.
“I really believe team sports is a way for students to learn the importance of working with others for a common goal,” Calhoun stressed. “When you work in a team atmosphere, those skills transfer to personal and professional areas which make an overall well-rounded person.”
In addition to his daily reporting and anchoring, A.C. hosts several highly rated shows, including SportsLocker, seen every Sunday at 10:15 p.m. on WISH-TV. During football season, you can also catch him on the Emmy-Award-Winning Countdown to Kickoff Colts pre-game show on Sunday Mornings. As one of the most trusted journalists in the state, Calhoun hosts guests on WISH-TV who are committed to making Indianapolis a great sports town and an even greater community.
Marian University Cycling Coach Dean Peterson is also being honored. He’ll receive the Wall of Fame Inductee Award. The award, established more than 50 years ago, recognizes individuals and teams who have made exceptional contributions to the prestige and honor of Marian University both on and off the field. Peterson has been the head coach of Marian University's cycling team, the most successful program in collegiate cycling history, for 16 seasons.
“To be recognized in this way is a real honor, Peterson said. “It gives me great joy to not only assist the student-athletes academically but also give them support and coaching to achieve their cycling goals and team connection.”
Peterson's coaching philosophy of school first comes from his educational background. Peterson has a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from Butler University.
“Keeping student-cyclists focused on the fact that they are students first and being a responsible citizen and community member is just as important as being a top-notch cyclist,” he added.
That philosophy has contributed to the team's success in earning nine USA Cycling Club of the Year awards, as well as 14 consecutive Collegiate Track National Championships,10 collegiate road championships, seven cyclocross championships, seven BMX championships, and seven division one Team Omnium awards.
Peterson has also served in a variety of roles to help advance the greater collegiate cycling mission in the country, including as an elected member of the USA Cycling Collegiate Sport Committee, the USA Cycling Board of Directors, and as a liaison for many local, regional, and national cycling initiatives.
Coach Peterson is also the executive director of the Indy Cycloplex, where he leads a small staff and community volunteers dedicated to advancing the mission of cycling in central Indiana. The Cycloplex, which Marian operates in partnership with Indy Parks and Recreation, serves as a platform to advance the cycling team's performance but also provides community outreach opportunities for student-athletes in the program. He oversaw the development of the Paul J. Norman Cycling Center on campus in 2007 and developed the indoor training series known as Power Booster™.
Calhoun and Peterson’s complete bios and public event tickets are available at marian.edu/clayton while Marian faculty and staff can get tickets by clicking this link