Temple University Athletics

AFCA Good Works

Walton Is Temple's Nominee for AFCA Good Works Team

7.15.15 | Football

PHILADELPHIA – Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced an all-time high 197 nominees for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, the most esteemed off the field honor in college football. Redshirt-senior defensive lineman Hershey Walton is Temple's nominee.

Walton has already earned a degree in advertising and will complete in his final year of eligibility this year as a graduate student. This season will mark his third as a starting defensive tackle where he has played in 35 career games, collecting 85 tackles (46 solos) including 8.0 tackles for loss. Walton has made an even greater impact off the field volunteering for nearly every community service opportunity. His tireless work with Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Be the Match, Huddle Up for Autism, and the many elementary school visits to tutor and inspire young students, have made him a role model for his younger teammates.

For 24 years, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has recognized college football players from across the country who exemplifies a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism. Since its inception in 1992, the award highlights the "good" taking place off the football field. The select group of student-athletes nominated for this award by their respective colleges and universities are able to balance academics and athletics while remaining committed to helping others and bettering their communities.  
 
"For the third year in a row, we have received a record-breaking number of Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® nominees, an indication that the bar continues to be raised for the character on display in college football," said Jim Haskins, Executive Vice President, Allstate Brand Distribution and a member of the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel. "Allstate is proud to join the AFCA in recognizing this amazing group of student-athletes for the positive impact they are making on their communities."
 
While remarkable on the field performances are praised each weekend, these individuals' off the field accomplishments far exceed touchdowns and tackles. From traveling overseas to support third-world countries to raising thousands of dollars for kidney cancer research, these remarkable student-athletes have utilized their minimal free time in an impactful way, earning them national recognition. 
 
"It's very rewarding to see another record-setting year of nominees for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®," AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff said. "With Allstate's help, this has become one of the most prestigious awards in college football, and one of the most important because it highlights some of the best student-athletes in the country who not only excel on the football field, but in their community service as well."
 
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, the final roster of 22 award recipients will be unveiled in September. From the nominees submitted by sports information directors across the nation on behalf of their schools, a special voting panel consisting of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and prominent college football media members will select the 2015 Good Works Team.®  
 
The 2015 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), Bruce Feldman (Fox Sports),  Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star); current AFCA President and University of Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville; 1987 AFCA President and former head coach at Brigham Young University LaVell Edwards; and Jim Haskins, Executive Vice President, Allstate Brand Distribution.
 
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 2015 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.
 
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