Curles receives Cliff Hare Award

Curles receives Cliff Hare AwardCurles receives Cliff Hare Award
Anthony Hall/Auburn Athletics

The drive that propelled Wesley Curles to keep going on long training runs when he felt like quitting still serves him well.
 
A first-year student at the University of Alabama-Birmingham's medical school, Curles completed a decorated career for Auburn's cross country and track and field teams in May, graduating in biomedical sciences with a 3.96 GPA.
 
"The main difference that I've noticed in medical school is that, instead of splitting my focus between academics and athletics, it's pouring it all into school," said Curles, a graduate of Auburn University's College of Sciences and Mathematics. "I'm able to run, but just treating that as extracurricular and free time. It absolutely served me well."
 
The self-discipline Curles developed on the Plains helps him manage the challenges of med school.
 
"I think the grind is different, but it's very similar," he said. "It's a lot of the same muscles, the same willpower that you use and it's a very familiar feeling."
 
Curles returned to Auburn for this past weekend's Homecoming game after a busy week of tests for what he calls "an enormous honor and completely overwhelming."
 
He was the recipient of the Cliff Hare Award, given annually to a senior student-athlete for academic and athletic success as well as leadership, integrity and courage. Curles became just the second track and field recipient of the award, joining Randy Hudson, who was honored in 1989.
 
Curles, who plans to practice pediatrics or family medicine, finished fourth in the mile at the 2017 SEC Indoor Championships and fifth in the 1500 meters at SEC Outdoors as a junior. Twice, his teammates voted him team captain.
 
"I don't think any of those achievements would have been as fun if it were just me," he said. "Relationships, primarily with my teammates, especially the distance group of the track and field team. That's what lasts.
 
"I was expecting close relationships with my teammates, but I think the relationships with the faculty and the coaching staff. Those were some of my favorite people that I've met. Distance coaches, teachers and advisers. That was something that was definitely a surprise. That's what I remember and enjoy looking back on."
 
A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Curles earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, received the 2017-18 SEC Brad C. Davis Community Service Award, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award from President Steven Leath, and was a Rhodes Scholarship nominee.
 
"Looking back on it now, I'm able to compare my experience at Auburn to what I expected and it exceeded every expectation and dream," he said. "And I'm just overwhelmed with thankfulness."


Cliff Hare Award Winners
Year    Athlete, Sport
1958    Jimmy Phillips, Football
1959    Lloyd Nix, Football
1960    Henry Hart, Basketball
1961    Ed Dyas, Football
1962    Don Machen, Football
1963    Layton Johns, Basketball
1964    Mailon Kent, Football
1965    Billy Edge, Football
1966    John Cochran, Football
1967    Bobby Beaird, Football
1968    Marvin Tucker, Football
1969    Al Griffin, Football
1970    Connie Frederick, Football
1971    Alvin Bresler, Football
1972    Pat Sullivan, Football
1973    Mike Neel, Football
1974    Benny Sivley, Football
1975    Bobby Davis, Football
1976    Rick Neel, Football
1977    Gary Schatz, Swimming
1978    Marvin Trott, Football
1979    Jeff Gray, Football
1980    Charlie Trotman, Football
1981    Ambrose "Rowdy" Gaines, Swimming
1982    Edmund Nelson, Football
1983    Mark Dorminey, Football
1984    Randy Campbell, Football
1985    Gregg Carr, Football
1986    Rob Shuler, Football
1987    Yann Cowart, Football
1988    Rodney Bowman, Swimming
1989    Randy Hudson, Track
1990    Win Lyle, Football
1991    Geoff Answini, Swimming
1992    Chad Muilenburg, Football
1993    Karekin Cunningham, Football
1994    Stan White, Football
1995    Jay Waggoner, Baseball
1996    Patrick Nix, Football
1997    Wes Flanigan, Basketball
1998    Dameyune Craig, Football
1999    Casey Dunn, Baseball
2000    Mathew Busbee, Swimming
2001    Jeff Somensatto, Swimming
2002    Estevam Strecker, Tennis
2003    Ben Nowland, Football
2004    B.J. Jones, Swimming
2005    Caesar Garcia, Diving
2006    Doug Van Wie, Swimming
2007    Steven Segerlin, Diving
2008    Jay Moseley, Golf
2009    Glenn Northcutt, Golf
2010    Jordan Anderson, Swimming
2011    Dan Mazzaferro, Diving
2012    Corey Luckie, Baseball
2013    Ashton Richardson, Football
2014    T.J. Leon, Swimming
2015    Frazer McKean, Diving
2016    Justin Youtsey, Diving
2017    Joe Patching, Swimming
2018    Wesley Curles, Track