Bahr Among 12 Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalists
11/1/2018 3:46:00โฏPM | Football
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -ย Kent State senior linebacker Matt Bahr (Kenton, Ohio) was one of 12 players named as a Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist Thursday.ย The Wuerffel Trophy, presented by the Chick-fil-A Foundation serves as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service."
Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel, the trophy is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.
"Once again, this year validates how many outstanding young men are out there doing wonderful work serving others in their communities," said Danny Wuerffel.ย "It was such a difficult job we had narrowing the list down to only twelve semifinalists.ย These young men truly represent the best of the best."
On the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List in back-to-back seasons, Bahr has volunteered for many organizations such as Kent City Schools, Portage County Soup Kitchen, Haven of Rest Ministries and Kenton Church of the Nazarene. ย He also spent eight days in Belize last summer in Kent State's collaboration with Courts for Kids.ย
Bahr is in his second year as president of Kent State's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and is a member of the MAC's Student-Athlete Executive Committee.ย Earlier this year he was named a Campbell Trophy semifinalist and was nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy and the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Set to earn his master's degree in December, Bahr has established himself as a leader on the field, in the classroom and in the community.ย He is currently tied for the team lead in tackles with 68 and has 4.5 tackles for loss.
Bahr is a two-time Mid-American Conference Distinguished Scholar Athlete and earned the team's Leo Strang Award for the highest grade point average among upperclassmen.ย At the conclusion of the spring season, he was one of two players presented with a single-digit jersey.
In March, Bahr was awarded a postgraduate scholarship by the Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation.ย He also spoke on behalf of all Postgraduate Award winners at the 30th Annual Mike Cleary Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet.
Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalists
Brett Rypien, Boise State University, senior, quarterback
Marcus McMaryion, Fresno State University, senior, quarterback
Dalton Risner, Kansas State University, senior, offensive line
Matt Bahr, Kent State University, senior, linebacker
A.J. Cole, III, North Carolina State University, senior, punter
Max Scharping, Northern Illinois University, senior, offensive line
David Blough, Purdue University, senior, quarterback
Bryce Crawford, San Jose State University, senior, punter/kicker
Kielan Whitner, Syracuse University, senior, linebacker
Noah Borden, University of Hawaii, senior, long snapper
Drue Tranquill, University of Notre Dame, senior, linebacker
D'Cota Dixon, University of Wisconsin, senior, defensive back
Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy were made by the sports information departments of the respective universities. ย Three 2018 Wuerffel Trophy finalists will be announced on Nov. 19. The formal announcement of the 2018 Wuerffel Trophy recipient is scheduled to be made on Dec. 4, at the National Football Foundation's press conference in New York City.ย The winner will be invited to attend The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU on Dec. 6
