Annual Community Service Award Now in 15th Year
NEW YORK (Dec. 10, 2019) — Danny Wuerffel announced at the National Football Foundation’s Annual Festivities at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel that Jon Wassink, quarterback from the Western Michigan University, is the recipient of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy.
“We are excited to announce that Jon is this year’s recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy and are thrilled about him joining our family of past winners,” said Wuerffel. “What he has done serving others off the field, along with his work in the classroom and on the playing field, represents what the Wuerffel Trophy is all about. Also, I’d like to say the same about our other two finalists, Isaiah Sanders of the U.S. Air Force Academy and Derrick Brown of Auburn University. The amount of community service that these young men have done is just incredible. Hats off to these amazing student athletes.”
Wassink, a senior quarterback from Grand Rapids, Michigan, carries a 3.95 GPA in the Haworth College of Business majoring in Accountancy. His academic honors include being named 2-time Academic All-MAC, 2-time MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, a member of WMU’s Dean’s List every semester he’s been on campus and is a National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy finalist this season.
A 3-year starter at quarterback for the Broncos, Wassink was named 2019 Preseason Second All-MAC by both Athlon and Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. He volunteers his time locally as a 4-year member and leader at Tree of Life (youth mentoring), leading weekly Bible studies in FCA, volunteering with Uplifting Athletes, feeding the homeless in Kalamazoo and is a regular mentor at Indian Lake Elementary School and visitor at Bronson Children’s Hospital. Also, he served on a 2016 mission trip to the Dominican Republic, building and repairing infrastructure for a small community of 100 people.
Wassink is the 2nd Wuerffel Trophy recipient from Western Michigan University, Tim Hiller being the first in 2009. The Wuerffel Trophy, named after Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida, is awarded to the Football Bowl Subdivision player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.
On Thursday, Wassink will be interviewed on The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU and ESPN3 at 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST, featuring interviews with award winners and finalists as they approach The Home Depot College Football Awards Show, the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
The presentation of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 51st Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 7, 2020, in Fort Walton Beach.
Along with Hiller, past recipients of the Wuerffel Trophy are: 2018 Drue Tranquill, University of Notre Dame; 2017 Courtney Love, University of Kentucky; 2016 Trevor Knight, Texas A&M University; 2015 Ty Darlington, University of Oklahoma; 2014 Deterrian Shackelford, University of Mississippi; 2013 Gabe Ikard, University of Oklahoma; 2012 Matt Barkley, University of Southern California; 2011 Barrett Jones, University of Alabama; 2010 Sam Acho, University of Texas; 2008 Tim Tebow, University of Florida; 2007 Paul Smith, University of Tulsa; 2006 Joel Penton, Ohio State University; and 2005 Rudy Niswanger, Louisiana State University.
The Wuerffel Trophy is supported by its corporate partners, Dart Container Corporation/Solo Cup Company and Herff Jones.
The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. The NCFAA encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, The NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast more than 800 recipients, dating back to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
For more information on the Wuerffel Trophy, visit www.wuerffeltrophy.org.
Contact: Tom Brassell, tombrassell@wuerffeltrophy.org, 850-585-5512
