Recipients

Jon Wassink

Wuerffel Trophy 2019
Western Michigan University

Wassink was named 2019 Preseason Second All-MAC by both Athlon and Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. He volunteers his time locally as a leader at Tree of Life (youth mentoring) while carrying a 3.95 GPA, leading weekly FCA, volunteering with Uplifting Athletes, feeding the homeless and is a regular mentor at a local elementary school. Wassink served on a Dominican Republic mission trip, building and repairing infrastructure for a small community of 100 people.

Drue TRANquill

Wuerffel Trophy 2018
University of Notre Dame

Tranquill volunteers his time locally with Lifeworks Ministry, AWP Sports, as an ambassador for Dream Teams, with the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, the Center for the Homeless and South Bend Boys and Girls Clubs, just to name a few. Also, he has served on three mission trips to the Dominican Republic as a team leader with Here for Kids International

Courtney Love

Wuerffel Trophy 2017
University of Kentucky

Love volunteers his time with Amachi Central Kentucky, mentoring area youth especially those living in a one-parent household or children who have parents who are incarcerated. His community service efforts also include visiting patients at UK Children’s Hospital, Read Across America, Special Olympics, mentoring and Picadome Elementary School, Big Brothers/Big Sisters along with serving in mission work in Ethiopia.

Trevor Knight

Wuerffel Trophy 2016
Texas A&M University

After leading three mission trips to Haiti while at OU, Knight was the driving force to set up a similar mission trip at A&M this year. Additionally he has participated in countless local community service efforts with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, local churches, schools and other organizations in Norman, Oklahoma and College Station, Texas. Knight is a two-time Wuerffel Trophy nominee.

Ty Darlington

Wuerffel Trophy 2015
University of Oklahoma

Darlington led the Oklahoma’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. Darlington twice visited Haiti as part of the Mission of Hope program, repairing damage caused by a massive earthquake. He also represented the Big 12 at the 2015 NCAA Convention and at the conference’s “State of College Athletics” Forum.

DETERRIAN SHACKLEFORD

Wuerffel Trophy 2014
University of Mississippi

Shackleford has helped lead two mission trips to Haiti and Panama while also mentoring local Oxford youth. He has been actively involved in the Oxford, MS community, helping lead efforts to fight hunger and raise funds for cancer research. He is also a highly sought-after speaker for school, community and church groups and is a dedicated member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

GABE IKARD

Wuerffel Trophy 2013
University of Oklahoma

Ikard serves on the OU leadership team for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was lauded by the school for his leadership in responding to the tragic Oklahoma City tornado disaster earlier this year and made a life-changing relief trip to earthquake-stricken Haiti in 2012.

Matt Barkley

Wuerffel Trophy 2012
University of Southern California

A fixture in Los Angeles, Barkley has worked with children from 17 local elementary schools around USC. He has volunteered with S.C.O.R.E (Service, Community, Outreach, Responsibility and Education, based out of USC), helping to encourage inner-city kids with pursuing their education.

Barkley also made an impact abroad. In May of 2012, Matt helped spearhead a trip with his family and 15 teammates for a week working in Sous Savanne, Haiti, building four houses for underprivileged families.

Barrett Jones

Wuerffel Trophy 2011
University of Alabama

Jones has made two mission trips to Haiti to help people struggling with daily life and to help build a school and orphanage. He has actively participated in tornado cleanup in Tuscaloosa and worked with countless other community organizations in his time at Alabama. “I think being a student athlete is a lot about time management,” Jones said. “You really have to learn how to balance your time and prioritize the things you think are important. Personally, I think community service and things of that nature are things I put very high on that list. I think that’s something my parents instilled in me.”

Sam Acho

Wuerffel Trophy 2010
University of Texas

>Along with dedicating countless hours to community efforts in Texas, Acho and his family have made several medical mission trips to his father’s and mother’s native country of Nigeria. Once there, they provide free medical care to a small village that has extremely limited access to doctors, and Acho called it “hands-down the most fun and most meaningful piece of community work that I do.”

Tim Hiller

Wuerffel Trophy 2009
Western Michigan University

Hiller joined 23 other college students on a faith-based mission to Trinidad where, among other things, he visited youth prisons and drug clinics and witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of poverty on a nation.

Tim Tebow

Wuerffel Trophy 2008
University of Florida

Through his involvement with the University of Florida’s “Goodwill Gators” program, he has made many hospital visits and attended numerous community service functions. He spent his 2008 spring break as a missionary in the Philippines as part of the Bob Tebow Evangelical Association. In April 2008, Tebow organized a flag football tournament to raise awareness for orphans in Gainesville and around the world, was invited by the International Mission Board (IMB) to speak to missionaries in South Asia, and spent time speaking at several prisons across the state of Florida.

Paul Smith

Wuerffel Trophy 2007
University of Tulsa

In the community, Smith led talks and visits to local elementary schools and hospitals on behalf of his church and served in leadership and speaking positions for FCA. He has been named to Dean’s List seven of eight semesters.

Joel PEnton

Wuerffel Trophy 2006
Ohio State University

Joel is active in FCA, Athletes in Action and Campus Crusade for Christ, volunteering time to local high school chapters. Penton planned and launched the “Main Event” outreach meeting. He gained commitments from 300 students to volunteer for the event along with members of the OSU Marching Band and Cheerleading Squad. The event drew over 13,000 people.

Rudy Niswanger

Wuerffel Trophy 2005
Louisiana State University

Niswanger has served many youth groups and volunteered in hospitals as well as Volunteered time at area shelters following Hurricane Katrina, providing emotional support to the survivors and welcome them to Baton Rouge. Niswanger organized clothing and bedding drive to support the Hurricane Katrina evacuees that were house in the Maddox Field House amongst other outstanding community service efforts.