NORTHBROOK, Ill. – Elon University running back De’Sean McNair has been named a nominee for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Awarded annually to college football players, it recognizes the impact they make off the field in local communities.
One of 137 overall nominees this year, McNair is one of 59 student-athletes nominated at the FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA levels. He is also one of two CAA Football student-athletes named a nominee.
Set for his senior year in 2019 on the field, McNair spends time off the field participating in multiple community service projects. Earlier this year, McNair spent time with students at Turrentine Middle School supporting students in physical education and health classes while teaching a couple physical education lessons. He also participated in Elon’s Coaching Health and Mentoring Positive Students (CHAMPS) program in leading a mini football camp for fourth- and fifth-grade students. Other activities include volunteering at Western Alamance and Williams High School, Burlington Housing Authority, Shread-a-Thon, the NCHSAA Indoor State Track & Field Championship, A.L. Lewis Community Center and Eastside Police Athletic League in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., and Elon Football Camp.
Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® continues to be one of the most coveted community service awards in college football. From the 137 nominees, the final roster of 23 award recipients will be announced in September, bringing together 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision;11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); and one honorary head coach. To be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.
“It’s truly inspiring to see these young men dedicating their time and energy outside of their already busy schedules to leave a lasting impact in their communities,” said John O’Donnell, Allstate’s Western Territory president and member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team selection committee “As a longtime college football sponsor, Allstate takes great pride in our partnership with the AFCA, and we are honored to celebrate the successes of these players and highlight their stories as an inspiration to all who love the sport.”
“To be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is no small feat and goes above and beyond sportsmanship and leadership in the classroom or on the field,” said Tim Tebow, two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner and 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® member. “These student-athletes believe in the power of giving back and enriching the lives of others, while also helping to shape the lives of future young athletes. Each year, I am struck by the caliber of these nominees and humbled to be a part of telling their stories.”
The final 22-member team and honorary coach is selected by a voting panel consisting of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and prominent media members who look for both their dedication to giving back and the embodiment of true leadership on and off the football field. The team members will be announced on Sept. 12.