IUFB's Rashard Fant Named to Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Rashard Fant looks to cap off his IU career in a big way in 2017. Image: Indystar.com

IU Athletics Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana fifth-year senior cornerback Rashard Fant earned a place on the watch list for the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy, the award announced today. The Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is presented annually by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach Florida.
 
Fant is now a member of four watch lists: Jim Thorpe, Bronko Nagurski and the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
 
His volunteer and leadership activities have included:
Read Across America, 2016.
Volunteer at Camp Riley, 2015-16 – Camp Riley empowers children with physical disabilities by providing life-changing experiences in a camp environment tailored to their individual needs.
IU Excellence Academy Leadership & Life Skills intern, 2016.
IU Doin' It Right (Sexual Assault & Drug Abuse Awareness Group)
Attended Apple Leadership conference representing IU, 2016-17.
IU Student-Athlete Advisor Committee representative at the 2016 Big Ten SAAC Conference.
Served the homeless at St. Anthony at the 2016 Foster Farms Bowl.
Hoosier Hero (mentor).
iDareU Training Program (representative and mentor).
Math tutor and mentor for a fourth and sixth grader.
Won the Director's Award (representing all that IU is and the mindset of 24 Sports, 1 Team).
M.O.V.E. (Men of Valor Excelling – cultural and racial awareness and support program that Fant helped start).
 
Entering the 2017 season, Fant is the NCAA active career leader and Indiana's all-time leader with 48 passes defended and 44 pass breakups in 38 games. A second team All-Big Ten selection in 2016, the Atlanta native topped the Big Ten in pass breakups (17, T-2nd nationally) and passes defended (20, 3rd nationally).
 
He shared for the team lead with three interceptions (68 yards), including a 34-yard pick-6 at Florida International, and made 33 tackles, 29 solo, and one tackle for loss. Fant tallied four games with multiple PBUs.
 
Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.
 
Voting for the Wuerffel Trophy is performed by a National Selection Committee that includes college football television and print media, industry notables, former head coaches and prior Wuerffel Trophy recipients.  
 
Fant and Indiana will host Ohio State to open the 2017 season on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 8 p.m. EDT on ESPN. The teams will kick off a campaign facing each other for the fifth time (1938, 1952-54) and for the first time in Bloomington. IU last started the year against a Big Ten foe in 1982, a 30-0 whitewashing of Northwestern on Sept. 11.
 
The Hoosiers will host the fourth Thursday night game in Memorial Stadium history: Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 3, 2009 (W, 19-13); Towson on Sept. 2, 2010 (W, 51-17) and Indiana State on Aug. 29, 2013 (W, 73-35). IU jumpstarted its 2016 Foster Farms Bowl season with a Thursday evening 34-13 victory at Florida International on Sept. 1.
 
Tickets for Indiana's six home games are available by clicking here, by phone at 1-866-IUSPORTS or in person at the Assembly Hall Ticket Office. In addition to the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers will welcome Florida International (Sept. 16), Georgia Southern (Sept. 23), Michigan (Oct. 14), Wisconsin (Nov. 4) and Rutgers (Nov. 18).  

Indiana Football Preseason Honors
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List - Rashard Fant
Biletnikoff Award Watch List - Nick Westbrook
Butkus Award Watch List - Tegray Scales
Paul Hornung Award Watch List - Devonte Williams
Jim Thorpe Award Watch List - Rashard Fant
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List - Rashard Fant, Tegray Scales
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Watch List - Rashard Fant
Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List - Tegray Scales
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List - Tegray Scales