Caneda, Booker III Selected as Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award Winners

Nebraska football linebacker Michael Booker III and softball infielder Katelyn Caneda were chosen as the Huskers’ recipients of the Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover, the Big Ten announced on Wednesday. 

The honor was created to recognize Big Ten student-athletes who strive to have a positive impact in their community in addition to excellence in competition. From the group of 36 winners – two from each Big Ten school – two overall conference honorees will be selected and announced in the spring of 2026. 

Booker III, a native of Grand Prairie, Texas, has played in 20 games in his Husker career and has recorded six tackles this season. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and has been on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll seven times throughout his tenure. Booker III’s work in the community is highlighted by his membership on the Brook Berringer and Tom Osborne Citizenship teams in 2023 and 2025 and his Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award in 2023. 

Athletically, Caneda was a member of the All-Big Ten first team, defensive team and freshman team in 2023. She has played in 130 games and started 110 for the Big Red. The senior from Cerritos, Calif., is a two-time member of the Academic All Big Ten team and was named an NFCA Scholar Athlete and an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar and was on the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society in 2025. She has been on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete honor roll six times. For her impact in the community, Caneda was given the Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award in 2024 and has been on the Tom Osborne Citizenship team three times.

Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school’s first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, he continues to be recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and we honor his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

“It is our privilege and great honor to bestow this award in Jackie’s name upon these deserving Big Ten student-athletes and to express our appreciation for the support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation,” said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti.

Honorees were selected based on their demonstrated impact in the community, their collaboration and teamwork, consistency and commitment and visibility and advocacy.