FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — The All Sports Association, Inc., announced today the 12 finalists for the 2009 Wuerffel Trophy, the national award that honors the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with outstanding academic and athletic achievement.
The award is named after former Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, who led the Florida Gators to the 1996 national championship, played six years in the National Football League and has received national recognition for his humanitarian and community service efforts with Desire Street Ministries in New Orleans and around the country.
“The membership of the All Sports Association is excited and proud of the Wuerffel finalists presented in this year’s class,” commented All Sports President Robert McEachern. “The process of selecting finalists was difficult because of the outstanding quality of our nominations. The nominations clearly revealed we have great student/athletes, as well as men of character and service. We are honored to recognize them and how they help reflect upon what is really good in college football.”
The finalists, who were nominated by their schools’ sports information directors or football liaisons are (listed alphabetically by university):
— Mike Nixon, Senior – Linebacker, Arizona State
— Dan LeFevour, Senior – Quarterback, Central Michigan
— Christian Ponder, Junior – Quarterback, Florida State
— Zoltan Mesko, Senior – Punter, Michigan
— Blair White, Senior – Wide Receiver – Michigan State
— Andrew Brewer, Senior – Wide Receiver – Northwestern
— Andrew Sendejo, Senior – Safety, Rice
— Dominique Harris, Senior – Defensive Back, Temple
— Jordan Shipley, Senior – Wide Receiver, Texas
— Zane Beadles, Senior – Offensive Lineman, Utah
— Reed Williams, Senior – Linebacker, West Virginia
— Tim Hiller, Senior – Quarterback, Western Michigan
A committee that includes the Wuerffel Trophy national directors and selection committee members will vote on the finalists later this month, and the winner will be formally announced on December 8.
“Once again, I’m amazed to see the list of finalists, and in particular, their amazing accomplishments off the field,” said Danny Wuerffel. “Each year it is harder and harder for all of us on the selection committee to try to narrow it down and pick just one”.
The 2009 Wuerffel Trophy will be presented to the winner at the All Sports Association’s 41th Annual Awards Banquet on February 19, 2010.
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For more information on the Wuerffel Trophy, contact Tom Brassell at (850) 585-5512 or visit http://www.wuerffeltrophy.org.
