Carson-Newman’s Bell nominated for AFCA Good Works Team®
NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Carson-Newman senior defensive end Byron Bell (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been named a nominee for the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, officials announced last week. The 6-1, 230-pound Bell started 10 games for the Eagles in 2010. He recorded 42 tackles, including 10 for a loss, and 6.5 sacks for a unit that ranked second in the conference in scoring defense and rushing defense.
NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Carson-Newman senior defensive end Byron Bell (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been named a nominee for the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, officials announced last week.
The 6-1, 230-pound Bell started 10 games for the Eagles in 2010. He recorded 42 tackles, including 10 for a loss, and 6.5 sacks for a unit that ranked second in the conference in scoring defense and rushing defense.
Off the field, Bell has been an active member of the community throughout his career. He has served as president of the Carson-Newman Fellowship of Christian Athletes for two years, went on an American football teaching mission trip to Israel, took a mission trip to South Africa, was a summer counselor at Kids Across America, volunteered for the Luke 14 Banquet, started C-N Compassion and the C-N Sports Services, helped with the Carson-Newman campus beautification program, participated in repairing schools in a nearby county, gave away Thanksgiving meals to families in need, has spoken about bully prevention at local schools, has led multiple Bible studies and served as a tutor on campus.
Bell has a 3.1 GPA and is working toward a double major in Business Administration and Biblical Leadership.
Bell is one of a record 132 nominees for the team and one of only two honorees from the South Atlantic Conference, as Tusculum College quarterback Bo Cordell was also nominated. The award recognizes the selfless contributions to volunteerism and community service made by college football student-athletes across the nation.
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 two 11-player Good Works Teams® – one comprising of players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and another representing players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA. The 22 student-athletes named to the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® will be announced in late September.
This year marks the program's 20th year honoring college football players at all levels of competition who stand out for their "good works" in the community. Since 1992, selection to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has become the gold standard for off-the-field character and leadership for college football players. The honor is widely considered the sport's pre-eminent community service award.
"The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is one of the most important awards in college football because it highlights some of the best and brightest student-athletes in the country," said Grant Teaff, AFCA Executive Director. "With this being the 20th year of this outstanding award, it's great to see a record number of nominees sent in from some of the leading football programs in the nation. The AFCA is proud to share in this anniversary year with our partners at Allstate."
After a successful first-year partnership with ESPN.com, Allstate and the AFCA will re-launch its customized Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® website featuring profiles and images of the final team members, as well as an opportunity for fans to vote for the 2011 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 and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service while maintaining good academic standing.
2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Nominees
Combined Divisions (FCS, II, III & NAIA)
Angelo State University – Alvin Johnson
Campbell University – Branden Burt
Campbellsville University – William Warf
Capital University – Troy Spiker
Carroll College (Mont.) – Nick Petrusha
Carson-Newman College – Byron Bell
Central College (Iowa) – Cory Nikkel
Central Methodist University – Jacob Heppner
Charleston Southern University – Chris Kuzdale
Dakota Wesleyan University – Anthony Muilenburg
Drake University – Stoy Hall
Duquesne University – Zach Richert
Elmhurst College – Chris Kirkpatrick
Elon University – Dale Riley
Ferris State University – Tom Schneider
Florida A&M University – Padric Scott
Frostburg State University – Josh Volpe
Georgia Southern University – Andrew Boyd Sasser
Grinnell College – Mike Bogard
Heidelberg University – Derrick Arbogast
Henderson State University – Nick Johnson
Hobart College – Jarrid Blades
Illinois State University – Matt Lancaster
Indiana State University – Alex Sewall
Johns Hopkins University – Doug Drummond
Macalester College – David Melms
McNeese State University – Ben Bourgeois
Millsaps College – Garrett Pinciotti
Missouri Southern State University – Kellen Cox
Montana State University – Rick Haluszka
Morningside College – Colby Rohde
North Dakota State University – Coulter Boyer
North Park University – Casey Smagala
Northern Arizona University – Matt Myers
Northwest Missouri State University – Jake Soy
Northwestern College (Iowa) – Chris Butler
Northwestern State University (La.) – Yaser Elqutub
Old Dominion University – Ronnie Cameron
Samford University – Jeremy Towns
Shenandoah University – Kyle Feldman
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology – Andy Smith
South Dakota State University – Jake Steffen
Southern Illinois University – Mike McElroy
St. Cloud State University – Matt Theis
St. John's University (Minn.) – Andrew Rotschafer
St. Olaf College – Leon Clark
St. Xavier University – Michael Prosser
SUNY Maritime College – Ricky McClain
Tarleton State University – Levi Kirkland
Thiel College – Tim Taylor
Thomas More College – Jay Volker
Towson University – Marcus Valentine
Trinity University (Texas) – Markham Stayton
Tusculum College – Bo Cordell
Union College – Jonathan Stidd
University of California - Davis – Bobby Erskine
University of Dubuque – Michael Zweifel
University of Montana – Alex Shaw
University of New Hampshire – Chris Zarkoskie
University of North Dakota – Justin Belotti
University of Northern Iowa – Ben Boothby
University of Redlands – Tyler Aubrey
University of Rhode Island – Matt Greenhalgh
University of San Diego – Al-Rilwan Adeyemi
University of Sioux Falls – Braden Wieking
University of St. Thomas (Minn.) – Fritz Waldvogel
University of Tennessee - Chattanooga – B.J. Coleman
University of the Incarnate Word – Jacob Love
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater – Kris Rosholt
Wartburg College – Logan Hansen
Washington University in St. Louis – Kyle Larkin
Wayne State College (Neb.) – Joe Bundy
Wayne State University (Mich.) – Josh Renel
Wheaton College – Jordan Chapman
Williams College – William Hamrick
Winona State University – Alex Kautza
