IRVING, Texas - - The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today a partnership with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to reveal the league's offensive and defensive players of the year as part of the festivities surrounding the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 6 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
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"We are extremely pleased to share our national spotlight with the MEAC, which boasts some of the best student-athletes in the country," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Showcasing the MEAC players of the year further solidifies the NFF Annual Award Dinner as the one event of the year that truly brings together the entire college football community."
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The announcement of the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year and the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year will take place during the NFF morning press conference from the Empire Room of the Waldorf Astoria. MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas will make the announcement, and he will be joined by the recipients and their head coaches.
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"This is a historic moment for the MEAC as our partnership with the NFF is truly significant," said Thomas. "No other college football event has a richer history than the NFF Annual Awards Dinner. We are appreciative to the NFF for providing the MEAC access to its national stage to showcase and brand the top players from our conference. We look forward to celebrating the careers of this year's recipients at the conclusion of the season in New York. It will raise the stature and profile of the MEAC awards while providing the recipients a well-earned experience by being part of this historical and magnificent event."
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The first NFF Annual Awards Dinner took place in 1958, and the event has captured countless historical moments over the years, including remarks from seven U.S. Presidents who have claimed the NFF Gold Medal, the organization's highest honor. As the culmination of the regular season, the event provides the stage for the presentation of the NFF Major Awards; the induction of the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class; and the bestowing of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards and the William V. Campbell Trophy, both presented by Fidelity Investments with the trophy displayed inside its official home at the New York Athletic Club.
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The morning press conference features remarks from all of the event's honorees, and it also provides the stage for the announcement of the winner of the Wuerffel Trophy, which honors the college football player who best exhibits exemplary community service. Today's announcement extends the speakers at the morning press conference to include the MEAC players of the year.
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Presented annually since 1971, the MEAC player of the year awards are voted on by the MEAC head football coaches and sports information directors. North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen (Offensive Player of the Year) and South Carolina State defensive lineman Javon Hargrave (Defensive Player of the Year) claimed the awards in 2015, marking the second consecutive year both earned the distinction.
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The MEAC boasts 14 College Football Hall of Fame inductees, including Coach Earl Banks (Morgan State), Emerson Boozer (Maryland Eastern Shore), Roger Brown (Maryland Eastern Shore), Harry Carson (South Carolina State), Coach Jake Gaither (Florida A&M), Willie Galimore (Florida A&M), Coach Willie Jeffries (Howard, South Carolina State), Coach Billy Joe (Florida A&M), Willie Lanier (Morgan State), Coach Vernon "Skip" McCain (Maryland Eastern Shore), Tyrone McGriff (Florida A&M), Coach Doug Porter (Howard), Art Shell (Maryland Eastern Shore) and Donnie Shell (South Carolina State).
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Several MEAC players have received coveted NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, including Malcolm Benson (Hampton), Timothy Benson (Hampton), Michael Bland (Hampton), Roy Ellison (Savannah State), Jerrell Moore (South Carolina State), Willie Thompson (Morgan State) and James Thurman (Florida A&M).
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In addition to the announcement of the MEAC players of the year and the winner of the Wuerffel Trophy, the NFF partners with the Ivy League to co-host a press conference and reception, presented by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses®, to bestow the Asa S. Bushnell Cup to the League's Football Players of the Year. The event takes place the day before the NFF Annual Awards Dinner, kicking off the festivities surrounding the numerous events at the Waldorf Astoria.
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The 2016 recipients of the NFF Major Awards include NFF Chairman and College Football Hall of Fame inductee Archie Manning (NFF Gold Medal), Chancellor of the University of Texas System and retired U.S. Navy four-star admiral William H. McRaven (NFF Distinguished American Award), College Football Hall of Fame coach and AFCA Executive Director Emeritus Grant Teaff (NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award), U.S. Naval Academy Athletics Director Chet Gladchuk (NFF John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration), the Voice of the Washington Huskies Bob Rondeau (NFF Chris Schenkel Award for excellence in broadcasting) and the yet-to-be announced recipients of the NFF Legacy Awards.
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This year's College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: Marlin Briscoe (Nebraska Omaha), Derrick Brooks (Florida State), Tom Cousineau (Ohio State), Randall Cunningham (UNLV), Troy Davis (Iowa State), William Fuller (North Carolina), Bert Jones (LSU), Tim Krumrie (Wisconsin), Pat McInally (Harvard), Herb Orvis (Colorado), Bill Royce (Ashland [Ohio]), Mike Utley (Washington State), Scott Woerner (Georgia), Rod Woodson (Purdue) and coaches Bill Bowes (New Hampshire) and Frank Girardi (Lycoming [Pa.]). The 2016 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class will be announced Oct. 26, and the winner of the Campbell Trophy will be announced live in dramatic fashion at the Dec. 6 event.
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For ticket information regarding the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, please contact NFF Director of External Relations Will Rudd at 972.556.1000 or wrudd@footballfoundation.com. |
