DALLAS — Mississippi State”s Derek Sherrod and Alabama”s Greg McElroy are among the 16 recipients of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards.
Selected from a nationwide pool of 121 semifinalists from among all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, the class members are recognized by the organization as one of the strongest classes in the history of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Program.
Each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, and one of the 16 will be announced as the recipient of the 21ST William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation.
The 2010 National Scholar-Athlete Class will be honored at the 2010 NFF Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 7 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The event will also include the induction of the 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Class and the presentation of several major awards.
A three-year letterman, Sherrod has helped propel Mississippi State University into the national spotlight while also setting an example for younger students and excelling academically. He is the school”s third NFF National Scholar-Athlete and the first since 1989.
Sherrod, who hails from Columbus, has been named to the Mississippi State University President”s Scholar List three times. A two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, he has graduated Cum Laude in business with a focus on financial risk management.
An All-SEC selection in 2009, Sherrod helped pave the way for the Bulldogs to lead the SEC and finish ninth nationally in rushing with 227.6 yards per game. This season, Sherrod has helped Mississippi State bulldoze its way to 219.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks 15th nationally. He has helped the No. 21 Bulldogs achieve their most wins since 2007 with four games yet to play. The team captain has started 30 games and appeared in 42 contests for his career.
A four-year member of the M-Club, the student-athlete community service organization, he has spent considerable time with the youth of Mississippi. He has served breakfast at Sudduth Elementary School, participated in Sudduth”s Kids Fair and read to local students to promote literacy. He has also organized a Thanksgiving food drive.
McElroy, already a national champion, is now the University of Alabama”s sixth NFF National Scholar-Athlete. After graduating in three years, McElroy is working on a graduate degree while leading the No. 7 Crimson Tide in its national title defense.
A Rhodes Scholar nominee, McElroy is a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree. The Southlake, Texas, resident has qualified for the Dean”s List four times and the President”s List twice. One of The Sporting News” “20 Smartest Athletes,” he was named Alabama”s Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Marketing and earned the Marketing Senior Gold Certificate.
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