NORTHBROOK, Ill., Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Allstate
Insurance Company (NYSE: ALL) and the American Football Coaches
Association (AFCA) announced the 22 student-athletes named to the
2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, one of the most prestigious
off-the field honors in college football. For 20 years the award
has recognized a select group of college football players committed
to making a difference in their communities.
A program record 132 players were nominated for the award this
summer. From the nominations, a special voting panel,
including former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and current
college football broadcasters, selected 22 players from across the
country to the team. Of the two 11-member teams, one
comprises players competing in the NCAA® Football Bowl Subdivision
and the other is a combined team representing the NCAA Football
Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA.
"For two decades this award has represented one of the great
aspects of college football by shining a spotlight on the community
involvement of its student-athletes," said Mark LaNeve, Allstate executive vice president,
marketing & sales operations, who also serves on the Allstate
AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel. "Allstate is proud to partner
with the AFCA to present and grow awareness around this award and
continues to be inspired by the commitment and dedication of its
recipients."
The following players have been selected to the 2011 Allstate
AFCA Good Works Team®:
Football Bowl Subdivision
(I-A)
|
|
Name
|
Cl.
|
Pos.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Robert Griffin
|
Jr.
|
QB
|
Baylor
|
Copperas Cove, Texas
|
|
Chris Potter
|
Jr.
|
WR
|
Boise State
|
Westlake Village,
Calif.
|
|
Brian Lockridge
|
Sr.
|
RB
|
Colorado
|
Trabuco Canyon,
Calif.
|
|
Aron White
|
Sr.
|
TE
|
Georgia
|
Columbia, Mo.
|
|
Jacob Lewellen
|
Jr.
|
DL
|
Kentucky
|
Louisville, Ky.
|
|
Jared Crick
|
Sr.
|
DL
|
Nebraska
|
Cozed, Neb.
|
|
Alexander Netter
|
Sr.
|
OL
|
Northwestern
|
Rohnert Park, Calif.
|
|
Dayne Crist
|
Sr.
|
QB
|
Notre Dame
|
Canoga Park, Calif.
|
|
Matt Barkley
|
Jr.
|
QB
|
Southern California
|
Newport Beach, Calif.
|
|
Wayne Tribue
|
Sr.
|
OL
|
Temple
|
York, Pa.
|
|
Emmanuel Acho
|
Sr.
|
LB
|
Texas
|
Dallas, Texas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Football Championship
Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III, and NAIA
|
|
Name
|
Cl.
|
Pos.
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Byron Bell
|
Sr.
|
DL
|
Carson-Newman
|
Knoxville, Tenn.
|
|
Cory Nikkel
|
Sr.
|
TE
|
Central (Iowa)
|
Pella, Iowa
|
|
Jacob Heppner
|
Sr.
|
DB
|
Central Methodist
|
Mansfield, Mo.
|
|
Stoy Hall
|
Sr.
|
LB
|
Drake
|
Omaha, Neb.
|
|
David Melms
|
Jr.
|
DB
|
Macalester
|
Wauwatosa, Wis.
|
|
Kellen Cox
|
Jr.
|
WR
|
Missouri Southern
State
|
Mount Vernon, Mo.
|
|
Colby Rohde
|
Sr.
|
TE
|
Morningside
|
Wathena, Kan.
|
|
Justin Belotti
|
Sr.
|
DB
|
North Dakota
|
Kenosha, Wis.
|
|
Yaser Elqutub
|
Sr.
|
LB
|
Northwestern State
|
Katy, Texas
|
|
Matt Greenhalgh
|
Jr.
|
OL
|
Rhode Island
|
Chepachet, R.I.
|
|
Ricky McClain
|
Jr.
|
DL
|
SUNY Maritime
|
Wantagh, N.Y.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equally as remarkable as the service contributions of Allstate
AFCA Good Works Teams of the past, this year's roster boasts an
impressive list of credentials promoting service and volunteerism.
From donating bone marrow to a cancer patient to mentoring children
home and abroad to playing the piano for hospital patients, the
selfless acts of these 22 student-athletes prove that tackles and
touchdowns do not have to come at the expense of greatness off the
field.
"The tremendous community service activities these young
student-athletes participate in is exceptional," said Grant Teaff, Executive Director of the American
Football Coaches Association. "These 22 student-athletes have
sacrificed their personal time in an attempt to make their
communities a better place. We couldn't be more proud to have these
players make up the 20th Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. We are
also proud to be partnered with Allstate in recognizing these
outstanding student-athletes."
Fans will be able to vote for an Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®
Captain by visiting ESPN.com and searching "Good Works". By viewing
the player profiles on the website, fans can learn more about this
year's team members and their selfless acts of kindness. The Team
Captain and his fellow award recipients will be invited to
New Orleans to take part in a
special volunteer project leading up to the 2012 Allstate® Sugar
Bowl®.
The 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel includes
several former Good Works Team members including former University
of Pittsburgh quarterback
Alex Van Pelt, former University of
Georgia offensive lineman
Matt Stinchcomb and former
University of Notre Dame defensive
lineman Grant Irons. ESPN
personalities Lou Holtz, who also
serves as the national ambassador for the program, and Rece Davis are also a part of the voting panel,
joined by current AFCA president and Montana
State University Head Coach Rob
Ash, 1987 AFCA President and former Brigham Young University
Head Coach LaVell Edwards and
Allstate executive vice president Mark
LaNeve.
To celebrate the 20th year of the Allstate AFCA Good Works
Team®, Allstate has partnered with college sports website
LostLettermen.com to host a series of Q&A interviews with Good
Works Team® alumni during the 2011 season. To learn more about
these past award recipients and where they are now, visit
LostLettermen.com and click on the "Allstate" tab.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer known for its "You're In Good
Hands With Allstate®" slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary
as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to
help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and
better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance
products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through
Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive
financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and
1-800 Allstate®.
About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®
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 54 selections to the Good Works Teams®, followed by the Big 12
with 40 selections and the Atlantic Coast Conference with 29
selections. With Aron White's
selection this year, Georgia moves
into first place with 13 honorees to the Allstate AFCA Good Works
Team. The Bulldogs are followed by Nebraska and St.
Thomas (Minn.) with 12 honorees each. 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 AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000
members around the world ranging from the high school level to the
professional ranks. According to its constitution, the 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."
SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company