Oct. 27, 2006

Many recognize the name Brandon Godsey from being announced over the loud speaker at UD football games. Godsey is a senior tailback from Vandalia, Ohio, who is the leading rusher for the Dayton Flyers this season. What many of those fans cheering him on at Welcome Stadium may not know is that he is also a strong performer in the classroom.

Godsey was just recently named a national semifinalist for the 2006 Draddy Trophy, which in essence is the "academic Heisman." He is one of 148 semifinalists from all levels of college football, a list that includes three other players chosen from the Pioneer Football League. "I thought it was an honor to be nominated, since there is only one nominee per school it was an honor for me to be choosen among all of the other great players here at UD," Godsey said.

The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame awards the Draddy Trophy annually. The scholar-athletes are selected as the best and the brightest from the college gridiron. The Draddy Trophy is presented by HealthSouth.

The Draddy Trophy recognizes those individuals that are the best in the country for their combined academic success, football performances and community leadership. The nominee must be a senior or graduate student playing in their last year of elgibility, have a GPA of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player and have strong leadership and citizenship.

Brandon Godsey has all of the necessary qualities needed to be nominated for the award. Godsey is a Senior Pre-Medicine major holding a 3.98 GPA, great leadership skills on and off the field and is extremely talented when it comes to the game of football.

Godsey plans on going into the medical field of orthepedics and is currently in the process of choosing a medical school.

The Draddy Trophy was first presented in1990 and was added to the list of the many athletic and academic acheivement awards. The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 15 finalists who will receive an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship and the winner will receive a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.