Corbin Bryant visits with children at the hospital during Outback Bowl week in January.Corbin Bryant visits with children at the hospital during Outback Bowl week in January.

Corbin Bryant Named One of 10 Finalists for ARA Sportsmanship Award

Oct. 28, 2010

Official ARA Finalist Release (PDF Format) Get Acrobat Reader

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern senior Corbin Bryant (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) is one of 10 finalists for the sixth-annual Awards and Recognition Association (ARA) sportsmanship award, given to one outstanding NCAA Division I collegiate football player who best personifies the spirit of sportsmanship.

Bryant is the third-consecutive Wildcat to be named one of the 10 finalists for the award, following Andrew Brewer (2009) and Eric Peterman (2008). Peterman ultimately won the honor in 2008. The 2010 ARA Sportsmanship Award recipient will be chosen from a selection panel headed by former Brigham Young University head coach LaVell Edwards and including Peterman as a former winner.

To qualify for the award, an athlete must be a starting player or significant contributor on his team; be in good academic standing; demonstrate great respect for competitors, school, teammates and coaches; show an ability to accept victory and defeat graciously; convey a high degree of humility and integrity; and demonstrate commitment in the classroom and to the community.

Bryant, who previously was named one of 11 members of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, has been a member of Northwestern football's leadership council since 2008 and president of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity since 2007. He has used his leadership abilities as a mentor at his alma mater, Chicago's Morgan Park High School, since 2006. He volunteers with Evanston Special Olympics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Misericordia, Special Spectators and Northwestern's Dance Marathon while also finding time to excel in the classroom as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten winner.

Within the football program, Northwestern's coaching staff has honored Bryant with the program's Randy Walker Wildcat Warrior Award in 2008 and the Bryan Paynter "Ultimate Wildcat" Award in 2009. Bryant graduated in June with a bachelor's degree in learning and organizational change along with a minor in business institutions, is the latest Wildcat to earn a place on the team. Bryant currently is pursuing postgraduate studies.

"The number of candidates (nominated) more than doubled from last year," said ARA president B.J. Bailey. "We are thrilled to be part of this groundswell of excitement over the power of sportsmanship. As the only national award that recognizes an athlete's character and leadership as it translates to sportsmanship, the ARA Sportsmanship Award was created six years ago to shed light on these positive traits."

For more details on the ARA Sportsmanship Award, visit www.arasportsmanshipaward.com.

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