NEW YORK — Danny Wuerffel announced at the National Football Foundation’s Annual Festivities at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel that University of Notre Dame graduate captain linebacker Drue Tranquill is the recipient of the 2018 Wuerffel Trophy.
The Wuerffel Trophy, presented by the Chick-fil-A Foundation®, is awarded to the Football Bowl Subdivision football player who best exhibits exemplary community service at the All Sports Association’s annual banquet in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
“We are honored to announce that Drue is this year’s recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy and are elated 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 the true meaning of the award. Also, I’d like to say the same about our other two finalists, Dalton Risner and David Blough. The community service that these young men have done is just incredible. I wish we could hand out three Wuerffel Trophies.”
Tranquill, a senior linebacker from Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a three-time Wuerffel Trophy nominee and graduated in May with a degree in mechanical engineering. He has been named to the Dean’s List in five of his eight semesters and is a National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy finalist this season. A two-time team captain for the Fighting Irish, Tranquill volunteers his time locally with Lifeworks Ministry, AWP Sports, as an ambassador for Dream Teams, with the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, the Center for the Homeless and South Bend Boys and Girls Clubs, just to name a few. He has also served on three mission trips to the Dominican Republic as a team leader with Here for Kids International.
“Drue’s dedication to serving others, especially young people, is a shining example of our Foundation’s mission to
help every child become all they can be,” said Rodney Bullard, Executive Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation and Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at Chick-fil-A®. “We’re proud to have a part in recognizing him for his service and we look forward to seeing how he continues to lead and inspire.”
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, Tranquill 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 2018 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 50th Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 15, 2019, in Fort Walton Beach.
Past winners of the Wuerffel Trophy are: 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; 2009 Tim Hiller, Western Michigan University; 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 proud to be presented by the Chick-fil-A Foundation®, the corporate foundation of Chick-fil-A, Inc. A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation’s purpose is to lead the company’s commitment to support youth and education in Chick-fil-A’s local communities. The Foundation’s work is focused on developing and educating young people so they can build a positive legacy and become all they can be. For more information, visit http://www.chick-fil-afoundation.org/.
The Wuerffel Trophy is also 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, which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 24 awards boast more than 700 years of tradition-selection excellence. For more information, go to www.NCFAA.org.
For more information on the Wuerffel Trophy, visit www.wuerffeltrophy.org.
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