Eastern New Mexico University redshirt junior quarterback Wyatt Strand has been named a nominee for the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, a prestigious off-the-field honors in college football. To be in consideration by Allstate and the AFCA for a nomination, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.
Strand is one of 169 nominees selected NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® is comprised of 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA and one honorary head coach. To be in consideration by Allstate and the AFCA for a nomination, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.
The final roster of 22 award recipients and honorary head coach will be unveiled in September.
Strand had a strong campaign during the 2017 season under center as he help lead the Greyhounds to eight wins for the first time since the 2002 season and third place finish in the LSC standings. In two seasons as a starter, Strand has quarterbacked the Hounds to 15 wins. Last season he was second on the team in rushing averaging 67.8 yards per game and totaling 678 in the Hounds ground strike offense. Through the air, Strand only threw the ball 96 times last season but still completed 55 of them to go along with four touchdowns. He was hard to intercept as he only had two for the 2017 season, the least amount in Division II.
Outside of football, Strand has been active in a number of different ways in his time at ENMU. He is a member of the ENMU Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization and Student Athletic Advisory Committee as a representative for football. Strand also volunteered with Central Christian Church this past March in a food drive drive that help benefit the community of Portales and the surrounding areas. During the ENMU Youth Football Camps, he has been around helping teach kids the skills of the game and lessons outside of football. Strand has also volunteered his time by doing literacy work and readings at the local elementary schools in the area during the spring semester.
“There are always a lot of great stories that come out every year during the college football season, but none of them compare to the inspiring stories that each of these Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominees live out on a daily basis,” Todd Berry, AFCA Executive Director said. “How these student-athletes spend their time helping others should be a motivation to everyone who reads about them to give back. It’s an honor to partner with Allstate to publicize the great works these student-athletes achieve each year.”
A special voting panel consisting of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and prominent college football media members will review submissions from sports directors across the nation to select the 2018 Good Works Team®. Tim Tebow, two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner and 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® member, will once again headline the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel.
In addition to Tebow and Prendergast, the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®selection panel members 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) and Wes Counts (Middle Tennessee State, 1999 team); media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star) and Paul Myerberg (USA TODAY); Georgetown College head coach Bill Cronin; 2001 AFCA President and current athletic director at Virginia Union University Joe Taylor.
After the final team members are announced in September, college football fans can visit the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® official page on ESPN.com to view profiles and images of the players and honorary head coach, and vote for the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Captain. Fans are also encouraged to follow along and join in on the conversation by searching and using #GoodWorksTeam on their social media channels throughout the season.
About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® was 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.
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.”
Players Mentioned