ERIE, Pa. - Gannon's
Liam Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) has been chosen as one of 22 student-athletes named to the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. In conjunction with Allstate, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) made the announcement Tuesday afternoon.
College football fans can vote for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Captain at ESPN.com/Allstate through November 25, 2015. The Team Captain and his fellow award recipients will be invited to New Orleans to participate in a community project before the 2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl.In its 24th year, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is comprised of student-athletes who have used their limited free time to perform inspirational acts of service. This summer, the program received an all-time record-high 197 nominations from colleges and universities across the country. The 22-member Good Works Team is comprised of 11 student-athletes from NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) programs and 11 from NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Division II, Division III and NAIA programs.
"Allstate is proud to continue the legacy of recognizing student-athletes for their role in making a positive impact in their local communities," said Pam Hollander, vice president of marketing for Allstate. "The 'good works' of these individuals is an inspiration to us all and we are thrilled to recognize another team of young men who are truly making a difference both on and off the football field."
Since being established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team has highlighted the importance of community service and volunteerism. From sponsoring orphans in Ethiopia to founding a program that helps underprivileged youth pursue a college degree, these 22 men continue to change their communities for the better.
"The members of the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team are an excellent example of hard work and dedication, both on the field and off," AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff said. "These 22 student-athletes have shown, through their countless hours of community service and work on the football field, that you can give more of yourself to help those around you. It's a privilege to team up with Allstate to honor these students."
Nadler graduated magna cum laude last December with a 3.87 cumulative grade point average while obtaining a bachelor's degree in political science. Currently a graduate student in the MBA program and a redshirt senior eligibility-wise, he is Gannon's starting quarterback for the fourth consecutive season.
Nadler's volunteer efforts during his first three years at Gannon were closely tied to team and school-organized activities, such as working with local youth at Erie's Martin Luther King Center and St. Benedict's Kid's Café, the Gridley Park spring clean-up days and the annual University GIVE (Gannon's Invitation to Volunteer Everywhere) Days.
During the fall of 2014, one of Nadler's classmates was diagnosed with cancer. With assistance from staff members at Gannon's Health and Counseling Services Center, Liam contacted the Be The Match regional office of the National Marrow Donor Program to arrange for a screening activity at Gannon.
Those discussions ultimately led to three separate Be The Match bone marrow donor screening activities held on Gannon's campus with 200 individuals taking part and becoming potential bone marrow donors.
Nadler was completely responsible for these screening activities being held on campus. He thought of the idea, reached out to the national bone marrow agency for assistance, coordinated his involvement with the groups holding the original events on those dates and personally helped the donors perform the cheek-swab activities.
On the field, Nadler is a two-time all-region selection after being named to the Football Gazette and Beyond Sports Network teams last season. He was named to back-to-back All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division teams. The redshirt senior finished 199-of-318 for 2,750 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. He completed 62.6 percent of his passes with only four interceptions, producing a 154.5 passing efficiency. In addition, Nadler rushed for 386 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Leipsic, Ohio, native led the PSAC in points responsible for per game (20.0) and total offense (313.6). Nadler ranked second among conference players in passing yards per game (275.0), third in completion percentage, fourth in passing efficiency, fourth in rushing touchdowns, fourth in passing yards per attempt (8.65), fifth in completions per game (19.9), fifth in passing yards per completion (13.82), sixth in passing touchdowns and 10th in points per game (7.4).
Nadler picked up his second career PSAC Top 10 Award last year after previously being one of two quarterbacks in the country named to the Capital One Academic All-America teams. A two-time Academic All-District first-team selection, Nadler has been named a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and received the NCAA Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award every year during his collegiate career.
He is Gannon's all-time leader in passing yards (8,866), 300-yard games (12), 200-yard games (23), pass completions (695) and passing touchdowns (64). Nadler ranks second all-time at Gannon in total offense (9,502) and seventh in points (170).
The 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team voting panel included: 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 Jesse Palmer (ESPN), 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; along with an Allstate representative.
