CHAPEL HILL – The semifinalists for the eighth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year were announced today, a group that includes North Carolina senior Kaimon Rucker and 20 of the nation's top leaders in college football.
Compiled by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee, the semifinalists have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
A second-team All-ACC performer in 2023, Rucker is on the watch lists for the Nagurski and Bednarik Awards, and he is the leader of UNC's defensive unit. He is a true standout in the community as well, where he provided personal hygiene items from his personal funds for fifth graders at his old elementary school who are experiencing physical changes to their bodies. He conducted a seminar with the fifth graders, primarily males, in an effort to educate them on this phase of their life. Rucker, who has already earned his undergrad degree and is currently pursuing his master's, also spent time this summer going through FCA Huddle Leadership Training to become a mentor to young men helping them discover/re-discover their faith in Christianity. Previously, Rucker earned the ACC Top Six in Service Award fro the 2022-23 calendar year for his outstanding dedication to community service. Following his playing career, Rucker hopes to follow his passion of mental health awareness and use his psychology degree to become a sports psychologist. He's already served aas a speaker at UNC's Mental Health Symposium for student-athletes.
Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 12, 2025.
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, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 16-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.
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 16 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.
Compiled by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee, the semifinalists have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
A second-team All-ACC performer in 2023, Rucker is on the watch lists for the Nagurski and Bednarik Awards, and he is the leader of UNC's defensive unit. He is a true standout in the community as well, where he provided personal hygiene items from his personal funds for fifth graders at his old elementary school who are experiencing physical changes to their bodies. He conducted a seminar with the fifth graders, primarily males, in an effort to educate them on this phase of their life. Rucker, who has already earned his undergrad degree and is currently pursuing his master's, also spent time this summer going through FCA Huddle Leadership Training to become a mentor to young men helping them discover/re-discover their faith in Christianity. Previously, Rucker earned the ACC Top Six in Service Award fro the 2022-23 calendar year for his outstanding dedication to community service. Following his playing career, Rucker hopes to follow his passion of mental health awareness and use his psychology degree to become a sports psychologist. He's already served aas a speaker at UNC's Mental Health Symposium for student-athletes.
Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 12, 2025.
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, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 16-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.
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 16 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.
