University of North Carolina Athletics

Tylee Craft
Tylee Craft Wins Inaugural Eric Montross Public Service Award
April 21, 2025 | Football, General, Student-Athlete Development
The Carolina Center for Public Service honored 11 Carolina faculty, staff, students and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the campus and broader communities with the 26th annual Public Service Awards. The center, along with Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and Provost Chris Clemens, presented the awards at a ceremony April 16.
Tylee Craft was recognized posthumously as the inaugural recipient of the Eric Montross Public Service Award. Craft, a former Carolina football player, received the award for increasing awareness of the high rates of lung cancer and low rates of screening in North Carolina. He inspired others through Team Draft, the White Ribbon Project, LiveLung and the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative. The award was accepted by his mother, September Craft.
The new honor will be given annually to a student-athlete who exemplified outstanding engagement and service to the state of North Carolina through a specific effort. Montross '94, a former Carolina basketball player, supported UNC Children's Hospital through his annual Father's Day basketball camp, funding the creation of a teen room and rooftop garden for pediatric patients as well as many other efforts. Laura Montross accepted a framed certificate in honor of her late husband and his legacy of service.
Tylee Craft was recognized posthumously as the inaugural recipient of the Eric Montross Public Service Award. Craft, a former Carolina football player, received the award for increasing awareness of the high rates of lung cancer and low rates of screening in North Carolina. He inspired others through Team Draft, the White Ribbon Project, LiveLung and the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative. The award was accepted by his mother, September Craft.
The new honor will be given annually to a student-athlete who exemplified outstanding engagement and service to the state of North Carolina through a specific effort. Montross '94, a former Carolina basketball player, supported UNC Children's Hospital through his annual Father's Day basketball camp, funding the creation of a teen room and rooftop garden for pediatric patients as well as many other efforts. Laura Montross accepted a framed certificate in honor of her late husband and his legacy of service.
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