University of North Carolina Athletics
Weiler Nominated For Good Works Team
July 13, 2016 | Football, Carolina Outreach
The prestigious college football award celebrates a quarter-century of recognizing student-athletes for acts of good in their communities
NORTHBROOK, Ill., July 13, 2016 – Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) today announced 165 nominees for the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, one of the most coveted off-the-field honors in college football. North Carolina is represented by senior place-kicker Nick Weiler.
A Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 2015, Weiler has been one of Carolina's most active members of the community. As a sophomore, he started volunteering at New Hope Elementary School in Chapel Hill. He collaborated with the fifth grade teacher on various projects, primarily focusing on establishing a connection between student-athletes and elementary students. Weiler spent many hours the classroom, visiting at least once each week, working one-on-one with students, mentoring, tutoring, and playing with them at recess. He was able to share his own success story as well as his struggles and answered thousands of questions about being a Tar Heel and life as a student-athlete.
In 2014, Weiler took over the Pen Pals program at New Hope, which was initiated by another student-athlete that graduated the previous spring. The program originally had over 80 student-athletes and four elementary classrooms participating and has since quadrupled in size and now includes about 350 pen pals. The pen pals exchange letters twice each month and Weiler acts as the liaison for making sure the letters are delivered on time. Not only does this program give students an authentic purpose to write, it also allows them to establish a relationship with a specific student-athlete. Weiler's passion and organization are vital to the success of the Pen Pals program and his actions have influenced other student-athletes to visit our school. Additionally, Nick helps coordinate an annual Pen Pals meet and greet each spring where the students are invited to attend a UNC baseball game and receive VIP treatment complete with memorabilia and autograph sessions with every sports team.
Weiler also started coming to the Charles House as a freshman and has given more than 100 hours of volunteer time at this daytime eldercare facility in Chapel Hill. Weiler is always ready and willing to jump in, and help wherever help is needed. The activities inlcude dancing with the participants, singing during music hour, eating lunch with the participants, or volunteering on the weekends at the eldercare homes with construction work.
As a Division I student-athlete, Weiler understands and appreciates the value of teamwork, leadership and giving back to the community. He is a member of Carolina Outreach, a core group of student-athletes who are instrumental in coordinating community service activities and serves as an outreach representative for the football team. He attends monthly outreach meetings and enthusiastically recruits his teammates (and other UNC student-athletes) to attend various community service events. Additionally, Weiler is at every football team hospital visit before a home game, and is great at recruiting his teammates to join him. His commitment to helping others is unparalleled and his enthusiasm is simply contagious. He is a remarkable leader and has a natural ability to make those around him better.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Works award, which was established in 1992 to recognize a select group of college football players who have made a commitment to service and enriching the lives of others.
For 25 years, the players selected have carried on the award's mission by demonstrating that 'good works' extend beyond the football field. This year's nominees uphold impressive service resumes detailing inspiring stories of servitude and the exceptional ability to balance academics with athletics, while donating their limited free time and energy to helping others.
“Allstate is proud to join the AFCA in celebrating 25 years of honoring college football players who represent the sport's finest in volunteerism and leadership,” said Thomas Clarkson, president of the west territory for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel. “The positive impact these young athletes have on their communities is an inspiration to us all and another reason to celebrate the good happening in our communities.”
With winning records and championships on the line each season, off-the-field service contributions can go overlooked. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® pays tribute to these stories of good and the student-athletes who have dedicated countless hours towards helping others. From donating bone marrow to save a stranger's life, to helping build a school in a rural village overseas, the players nominated to the 25th anniversary team have demonstrated a unique commitment to improving their communities.
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team has been one of the most prestigious off-the-field awards in college football for the past 25 years,” AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry said. “It is with great pride that we partner with Allstate to highlight some of the best student-athletes in the country who not only excel on the field, but off of it as well.”
In honor of the 25th anniversary, Allstate and the AFCA will add three additional spots to this year's team and announce a final roster of 25 members in September. For the first time in the award's history, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® will be comprised of 12 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, 12 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA and an honorary head coach.
From the nominees submitted by sports information directors across the nation on behalf of their schools, a special voting panel consisting of former Good Works Team® members and prominent college football media members will select the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.®
The 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel includes: former Good Works Team® members Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke, 1994 team), Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1997, 1998 teams), Brian Brenberg (St. Thomas, 2001 team), Mike Proman (Amherst, 2002 team), media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN) and Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star); current AFCA President and Ashland University head coach Lee Owens; 2001 AFCA President and current athletic director at Virginia Union University Joe Taylor; and Thomas Clarkson, president of the west territory for Allstate Insurance Company.
Once the final team members are announced in September, fans are encouraged to visit the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® website on ESPN.com, featuring profiles and images of the players, for the opportunity to vote for the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Captain.
In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and the AFCA, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.
The following players have been nominated for consideration to be named to the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team ®.
Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
Appalachian State University – Darian Small
Arizona State University – Viliami “Laiu” Moeakiola
Auburn University – Daniel Carlson
Ball State University – Teddy Williamson
Baylor University – Lynx Hawthorne
Boise State University – Jake Roh
Brigham Young University – Mitchell Juergens
California State University, Fresno – Jacob Vazquez
Central Michigan University – Cooper Rush
Clemson University – Deshaun Watson
Colorado State University – Elroy Masters Jr.
Duke University – DeVon Edwards
Florida State University – Alec Eberle
Georgia Institute of Technology – KeShun Freeman
Georgia State University – Keith Rucker
Indiana University – Mitchell Paige
Iowa State University – Cole Netten
Kansas State University – Dante Barnett
Kent State University – Nick Cuthbert
Marshall University – Ryan Yurachek
Michigan State University – Josiah Price
Middle Tennessee State University – Brent Stockstill
Mississippi State University – Brandon Holloway
North Carolina State University – Tony Adams
Northern Illinois University – Sean Folliard
Northwestern University – Matthew Harris
Ohio State University – Pat Elflein
Old Dominion University – Tyler Compton
Oregon State University – Will Hopkins
Purdue University – Cameron Posey
Rice University – Darik Dillard
Rutgers University – Derrick Nelson
San Jose State University – Tim Crawley
Syracuse University – Jason Emerich
Temple University – Jacob Martin
Texas A&M University – Trevor Knight
Texas Christian University – Caylin Moore
Texas State University – Felix Romero
Texas Tech University – Patrick Mahomes II
Troy University – John Johnson
University of Akron – DeAndre Scott
University of Alabama – O.J. Howard
University of Arkansas – Deatrich Wise Jr.
University of California – Jack Austin
University of Colorado Boulder – Derek McCartney
University of Connecticut – Bobby Puyol
University of Florida – Jarrad Davis
University of Georgia – Jeb Blazevich
University of Hawaii at Manoa – Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea
University of Houston – Greg Ward Jr.
University of Illinois – Joe Spencer
University of Kansas – Fish Smithson
University of Louisiana at Lafayette – Elijah McGuire
University of Louisville – Brandon Radcliff
University of Maryland – William Likely
University of Memphis – Jake Elliott
University of Miami – Brad Kaaya
University of Michigan – Jehu Chesson
University of Minnesota – Damarius Travis
University of Mississippi – Evan Engram
University of Missouri – Donavin Newsom
University of Nebraska – Drew Brown
University of Nevada – Jeremy Macauley
University of Nevada, Las Vegas – Kyle Saxelid
University of New Mexico – Garrett Adcock
University of North Carolina – Nick Weiler
University of North Carolina at Charlotte – Jamal Covington
University of Oklahoma – Samaje Perine
University of Pittsburgh – Mike Caprara
University of Southern California – John Plattenburg
University of Southern Mississippi – Nick Mullens
University of Toledo – Brad Spelman
University of Tulsa – Dane Evans
University of Virginia – Matt Johns
University of Wisconsin – Vince Biegel
Utah State University – Travis Seefeldt
Vanderbilt University – Oren Burks
Wake Forest University – Ryan Janvion
West Virginia University – Skyler Howard
Western Kentucky University – Marcus Ward
Western Michigan University – Zach Terrell
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Now celebrating its 85th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is widely known through the slogan “You're In Good Hands With Allstate®.” The Allstate brand's network of small businesses offers auto, home, life and retirement products and services to customers in the United States and Canada. In 2015, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners gave $36 million to support local communities. Allstate employees and agency owners donated 230,000 hours of service across the country.
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 worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
The SEC leads all conferences with 65 selections to the Good Works Team since it began in 1992. The SEC is followed by the Big 12 Conference with 47 selections and the Atlantic Coast Conference with 29 selections. Georgia is in first place with 16 honorees to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. ® The Bulldogs are followed by Nebraska with 14 honorees. Super Bowl XLII, XLVI 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.”
