Allstate and American Football Coaches Association to Honor Student-Athletes Who Make Off-the-Field Contributions
July 22 2009 - 8:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team(R) nominee list largest in
18-year history of award NORTHBROOK, Ill., July 22 /PRNewswire/ --
A hard-working and committed group of college football players will
take the field this fall knowing that the impact they have on their
teams and communities has nothing to do with touchdowns, tackles or
receptions. For a second consecutive year, Allstate Insurance
Company has partnered with the American Football Coaches
Association (AFCA) to announce the list of 106 student-athletes
nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team , which honors
college football players who make outstanding contributions in the
areas of volunteerism and civic involvement. With their unselfish
acts, such as volunteering at orphanages in Kenya, building a
reliable water source for villagers in Kabul, tutoring
disadvantaged youth, and visiting elderly patients in nursing
homes, Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominees distinguish
themselves among the more than 50,000 student-athletes
participating in the sport at all four-year collegiate institutions
through off-the-field accomplishments. "Allstate and the AFCA have
created a partnership of common interests and both organizations
are proud to honor the off-the-field achievements of college
football players and at all levels," said Guy Hill, vice president
of sales and service for Allstate. "Allstate shares a genuine
commitment to the community with these 106 student-athletes, and we
encourage them to continue their benevolent efforts." The total of
106 nominations submitted by sports information directors across
the country on behalf of their teams surpasses all previous
single-season nominee totals in the 18-year history of the award.
The 2009 class of nominees represents 41 states, including
Washington, D.C., and 45 college athletic conferences. From these
nominees, a special voting panel consisting of former Good Works
Team members and prominent college football media members will be
responsible for selecting two 11-player Good Works Teams - one
composed of players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and a
combined team representing players from the NCAA Football
Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA. College
Football Hall of Fame member and ESPN broadcast personality Lou
Holtz will return as program spokesperson and serve as a member of
this year's voting panel. "Allstate's sponsorship of the Allstate
AFCA Good Works Team was a welcome addition to one of the oldest,
non-competition awards in college football," said Grant Teaff, AFCA
executive director. "As a very recognizable sponsor in the sport,
Allstate is not only safe-guarding the tradition of college
football, but also recognizing its players for their outstanding
efforts both on and off the field and helping to shine a very
positive light on the sport for all its fans." The 2009
Allstate/AFCA Good Works Teams voting panel includes: Allstate vice
president, Guy Hill; former Good Works Teams members Matt
Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1997, 1998 teams), Mike Proman (Amherst, 2002
team), Mewelde Moore (Tulane, 2003 team), Brian Brenberg (St.
Thomas, 2001 team), Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke, 1994 team); media
members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Dennis Dodd (CBSSports.com), Tony
Barnhart (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Kelly Whiteside (USA
Today), Ivan Maisel (ESPN.com), Lou Holtz (ESPN); current AFCA
president and San Jose State University head coach Dick Tomey; and
1996 AFCA president Fisher DeBerry, former head coach at the United
States Air Force Academy. The following players have been nominated
for consideration to be included among the 2009 Allstate AFCA Good
Works Teams : Football Bowl Subdivision (Div I-A) Arizona Sate
University - Mike Nixon Auburn University - Walter McFadden Ball
State - Brandon Crawford Baylor University - Joe Pawelek Boise
State University - Richie Brockel Brigham Young University - Jan
Jorgensen Central Michigan University - Dan LeFevour Clemson
University - Xavier Dye Colorado State University - Adrian Martinez
Duke University - Kevin Jones Indiana University - Jammie Kirlew
Kansas State University - Jeron Mastrud Louisiana State University
- Lyle Hitt Middle Tennessee State University - Phillip Tanner
Northern Illinois University - David Bryant Northwestern University
- Andrew Brewer Ohio University - Lee Renfro Ohio State University
- Kurt Coleman Oregon State University - Taylor Kavanaugh
Pennsylvania State University - Stefen Wisniewski Rutgers
University - Billy Anderson San Jose State University - Travis
Jones Temple University - Dominique Harris University of Akron -
Alex Allen University of Alabama - Javier Arenas University of
Arkansas - D.J. Williams University of Central Florida - Rocky Ross
University of Florida - Tim Tebow University of Georgia - Jeff
Owens University of Houston - Case Keenum University of Iowa -
Julian Vandervelde University of Kansas - Darrell Stuckey
University of Kentucky - Alfonso Smith University of Memphis -
Dominik Riley University of Michigan - Zoltan Mesko University of
Missouri - Kurtis Gregory University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Roy
Helu, Jr. University of North Carolina - Kyle Jolly University of
Notre Dame - Jimmy Clausen University of Oklahoma - Sam Bradford
University of Pittsburgh - Adam Gunn University of South Carolina -
Mauricus Brown University of Texas - Austin - Jordan Shipley
University of California-Los Angeles - Derrick Coleman University
of Texas-El Paso - Cameron Raschke U.S. Air Force Academy - Nick
Charles U.S. Naval Academy - Ross Pospisil Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University - Tyrod Taylor Wake Forest
University - Benjamin Wooster West Virginia University - Reed
Williams University of Wisconsin - Chris Maragos Western Michigan
University - Tim Hiller Combined Divisions (FCS (I-AA) II, III
& NAIA) Ashland University - Nick Bellanco Beloit College - Joe
Goldufsky Bethel University (Minn.) - Reid Velo Brevard College -
Brandon Rawls Carroll University (Minn.) - Mike Berg Central
College (Iowa) - Zach Van Arkel Colby College - Roger Bel Colorado
School of Mines - David Pesek University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) -
Paul Hughes Dana College - Nate Weathers Delaware State University
- Nick Richmond Earlham College - Chris Owens East Texas Baptist
University - Michael Cucinotta Eastern Washington University -
Chris Thomas Florida A&M University - Philip Sylvester
Georgetown University (D.C.) - Jon Cassidy Hampton University -
Michael Swett Harding University - Brad Parker Hillsdale College -
Eric Schweller College of the Holy Cross - Dominic Randolph
Jacksonville State University - Joshua Cain John Carroll University
- Joe Micca Johns Hopkins University - Tim Miller Langston
University - Marquis Holden University of Montana - Terran
Hillesland North Dakota State University - Richard Bowman
Northeastern University - Zachary Abrams University of Northern
Iowa - Joshua Mahoney Northern State University - Brian Jark
Northwest Missouri State University - Sean Paddock Ottawa
University - Andrew Otto University of Richmond - Kevin Grayson
Sacred Heart University - Mark Uyeno Samford University - Ty Levie
Southeastern Louisiana University - Darnell Jones Southwest Baptist
University - Steve Gachette Southwest Minnesota State University -
Paul Muecke St. Cloud State University - Doug Asquith Saint Francis
University (Pa.) - Russel Fisher University of St. Thomas (Minn.)-
Jeffrey Hilliard Tarleton State University - Jacob Rowe Texas
A&M University-Commerce - Taylor Fore Texas A&M
University-Kingsville - Markeith Wesley Tusculum College - Jarrell
NeSmith Valparaiso University - Adam Rundh Villanova University -
Benjamin Ijalana Washington University-St. Louis - Tim Taylor
University of West Alabama - Dameon Baylor West Texas A&M -
James Chandler Western New England College - David Doiron
Wilmington College - Billy Blackburn University of
Wisconsin-Platteville - George Katze Wittenberg University - Lance
Phillps Youngstown State University - Aaron Pitts About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the
"You're In Good Hands With Allstate " slogan, Allstate is
reinventing protection and retirement to help individuals in
approximately 17 million households protect what they have today
and better prepare for tomorrow. Customers can access Allstate
products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners
insurance through approximately 14,700 exclusive Allstate agencies
and financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, or in select
states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate . Encompass and Deerbrook
Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively
through independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group provides
life insurance, supplemental accident and health insurance,
annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual,
institutional and worksite customers that are distributed through
Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and
broker-dealers. Customers can also access information about
Allstate Financial Group products and services at
myallstatefinancial.com. About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team In
order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and AFCA, each
player must be actively involved and committed to working with a
charitable organization, service group or community service while
maintaining good academic standing. The Allstate AFCA Good Works
Teams were established in 1992 by the College Football Association,
recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and
student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body
of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football
players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate partnered
to present the award starting with the 2008 season. Since 1992, the
Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with 50 selections to
the Good Works Teams , followed by the Big 12 with 35 selections
and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with 23
selections. In 2008, St. Thomas, Minn. running back Mikkel Haugen
became the 11th Tommie to be selected to the Allstate AFCA Good
Works Team, tying them with Georgia and Nebraska for the most
selections of all time. Super Bowl XLII and XLI champion
quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning were members of the 2002 and
1997 Good Works Teams , respectively. About AFCA The American
Football Coaches Association was founded in 1922 and currently has
more than 10,000 members around the world ranging from the high
school level to the professional ranks. According to its
constitution, AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest
possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and
to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters
pertaining to football." DATASOURCE: Allstate CONTACT: Raleigh
Floyd, Allstate Media Relations, +1-847-402-7891, , or Bates
Grainger, Taylor, +1-704-548-8556, , or Vince Thompson, AFCA Media
Relations, +1-254-754-9900, Web Site:
http://myallstatefinancial.com/
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