Northwestern University Athletics
Doles Named Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Semifinalist
11/15/2018 12:01:00 PM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern senior offensive lineman Tommy Doles has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2018 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, the organization announced Thursday afternoon.
Seventeen seniors and three juniors make up the list. Among conferences, the Big Ten and Big 12 led the way with five selections each, while Conference USA had three.
The full list of semifinalists includes: Bryce Holland (Army), Derrick Brown (Auburn), Johnathan Lloyd (Duke), Azeez Al-Shaair (Florida Atlantic), J-Shun Harris (Indiana), Nick Allegretti (Illinois), David Montgomery (Iowa State), Joe Dineen, Jr. (Kansas), Dalton Risner (Kansas State), Brent Stockstill (Middle Tennessee), Tommy Doles (Northwestern), Drue Tranquill (Notre Dame), Oshane Ximines (Old Dominion), Justin Herbert (Oregon), Trace McSorley (Penn State), Kieran Whitner (Syracuse), Kyle Phillips (Tennessee), Andrew Beck (Texas), Ty Summers (TCU) and D'Cota Dixon (Wisconsin).
A three-year starter, Doles is on the Outland Trophy Watch List and was a 2017 Third-Team All-Big Ten choice. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, a Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Representative, and a Northwestern Associate Student Government Senate Representative. Doles has led the NU Football program in community service hours and projects during his time as a Wildcat. He has been actively involved with Northwestern Reach Out and Reinforce Respect, Lurie Children's Hospital visits, Northwestern Football Youth Clinics, the Northwestern Dance Marathon and Misericordia Candy Days.
The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport and the Cowboys' all-time leading receiver, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 15-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly's Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 10. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony on February 12, 2018, at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten's SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 10 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the two states. SCORE has also operated a weekend food backpack program for disadvantaged children in North Texas, opened Jason Witten Learning Centers in five different Boys & Girls Clubs and opened the Jason and Michelle Witten Emergency Waiting Room at the Niswonger Children's Hospital in Johnson City, Tenn.
Seventeen seniors and three juniors make up the list. Among conferences, the Big Ten and Big 12 led the way with five selections each, while Conference USA had three.
The full list of semifinalists includes: Bryce Holland (Army), Derrick Brown (Auburn), Johnathan Lloyd (Duke), Azeez Al-Shaair (Florida Atlantic), J-Shun Harris (Indiana), Nick Allegretti (Illinois), David Montgomery (Iowa State), Joe Dineen, Jr. (Kansas), Dalton Risner (Kansas State), Brent Stockstill (Middle Tennessee), Tommy Doles (Northwestern), Drue Tranquill (Notre Dame), Oshane Ximines (Old Dominion), Justin Herbert (Oregon), Trace McSorley (Penn State), Kieran Whitner (Syracuse), Kyle Phillips (Tennessee), Andrew Beck (Texas), Ty Summers (TCU) and D'Cota Dixon (Wisconsin).
A three-year starter, Doles is on the Outland Trophy Watch List and was a 2017 Third-Team All-Big Ten choice. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, a Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Representative, and a Northwestern Associate Student Government Senate Representative. Doles has led the NU Football program in community service hours and projects during his time as a Wildcat. He has been actively involved with Northwestern Reach Out and Reinforce Respect, Lurie Children's Hospital visits, Northwestern Football Youth Clinics, the Northwestern Dance Marathon and Misericordia Candy Days.
The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport and the Cowboys' all-time leading receiver, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 15-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly's Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 10. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony on February 12, 2018, at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten's SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 10 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the two states. SCORE has also operated a weekend food backpack program for disadvantaged children in North Texas, opened Jason Witten Learning Centers in five different Boys & Girls Clubs and opened the Jason and Michelle Witten Emergency Waiting Room at the Niswonger Children's Hospital in Johnson City, Tenn.
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